Chapter 181 Reunion
After the concert, a free music festival was held on the beach, mostly for instrumentalists and singers to exchange ideas and learn from each other, enjoying the wonderful experience that music brings. There was also a bonfire and food on the other side, as well as a beach playground for children. Sylvie and Ryan were strolling and playing on the beach with their two children.
When Sylvie saw the two people walking towards her hand in hand, she reached out and nudged Ryan. They clapped and said, "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"
The two children were confused, but the little girl liked Jiang Ranxing and immediately asked her for a hug when she saw her coming.
Jiang Ranxing released Wen Qingrang's hand, squatted down, and hugged the little girl's soft body. The little girl was good at getting herself a treat and immediately kissed Jiang Ranxing on the cheek.
"Auntie, it's beautiful, I like it." The mixed-race little girl happily clung to Jiang Ranxing.
Sylvie moved closer as well, and to prevent any misunderstanding, she whispered to confirm, "You two are together now, right? When did this happen?"
“Yes,” Jiang Ranxing nodded, “just now.”
Sylvie laughed without any hesitation and said, "It seems I was right. You two are destined to be together."
Ryan chimed in, "A perfect match, a match made in heaven."
Ryan used a Chinese idiom he had learned to congratulate the couple, and Jiang Ranxing and Wen Qingrang accepted it readily.
Wen Qingrang squatted down, and the little boy rushed into his arms. Wen Qingrang treated and cared for the little boy very carefully and gently.
Ryan said, "Wen, you'll definitely be a good father in the future. I believe you will."
Ryan's seemingly unintentional words struck Jiang Ranxing like a heavy blow, waking him up.
She hadn't paid much attention to that; the atmosphere and emotions were right, and the two of them naturally accepted each other.
She didn't think too much about it.
But that doesn't mean there's nothing at all.
Speaking of children, Jiang Ranxing has a child named Yiyi, and she also had a de facto marriage with Fu Shenyuan, although there was no affection between them. Wen Qingrang, on the other hand, never had one. So, the two of them are somewhat unequal in terms of their relationship.
Although Jiang Ranxing herself doesn't care about these things, she can't make others not care about them either.
She has always understood that gossip can be a powerful force in society, especially for divorced women. It's considered good if they aren't labeled as "second-hand goods that have been dumped." Some people are even more malicious towards divorced women, saying all sorts of hurtful things and doing all sorts of disgusting things to them. Even if you achieve great success, you will still have to bear some of the blame.
She couldn't possibly be like Fu Shenyuan. Fu Shenyuan's family background, power and status, or even his personal charm, were enough to make people idealize him, idealizing him as an experienced and more mature outstanding man.
She certainly wouldn't receive such high praise as Fu Shenyuan.
Jiang Ranxing herself wouldn't care about these rumors; if she did, she wouldn't be able to get a divorce.
But she and Wen Qingrang are already going to be together, and if they get along well in the future, they will most likely reach the point of discussing marriage.
But if it really comes to that, it involves more than just the feelings between two people.
There are no material or economic issues between them, but her previous marriage will inevitably become a thorn that is difficult to remove between them.
Jiang Ranxing suddenly felt a bit annoyed. Everyone yearns for beautiful things and no one wants to experience unpleasantness. It is human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm.
Standing in this spot, she seemed to be able to foresee the many thorns that lay ahead.
She wasn't afraid of getting hurt herself; she was worried about Wen Qingrang.
Wen Qingrang was such a kind and good person, and she really didn't want him to suffer from gossip, family pressure, or verbal abuse because of being with her.
In that case, she wouldn't be able to give him the same happiness, and she would be hurting Wen Qingrang.
Jiang Ranxing kept thinking about this problem on the way back. As sensitive and meticulous as Wen Qingrang was, he had already noticed that something was wrong with Jiang Ranxing.
"Burning Star, you seem troubled. What's wrong?"
Wen Qingrang and Jiang Ranxing walked under the palm trees along the roadside toward the parking lot.
Jiang Ranxing hesitated for a moment, but decided to speak out and tell the other party all her concerns. It would be best for them to communicate about this together.
Jiang Ranxing told him all her thoughts: "I know I might be overthinking things, after all, we've only just gotten together. But we'll still face these issues in the future. I can't defend myself; these are the real things that happened. I don't want us to argue about this in the future, or for you to be gossiped about because of it. I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want you to..."
Jiang Ranxing didn't say the last thing.
It is said that women are easily sensitive and emotional in relationships, and Jiang Ranxing is no exception. Women are born with richer emotions, and as long as there is a little hint, it can eventually burn uncontrollably into a sea of fire.
Perhaps emotions are as uncontrollable as this flame; a slight breeze can make them burn even brighter.
Wen Qingrang understood Jiang Ranxing's concerns. He stopped and gently touched Jiang Ranxing's earlobe, so as not to put any pressure on her, as if to comfort her.
“Burning Star, I’m so glad you think that way,” Wen Qingrang said.
Jiang Ranxing looked up in surprise and asked, "What...what did you say?"
Wen Qingrang smiled and continued, "Don't worry, I understand your concerns, but I will not regret it, never."
Wen Qingrang said what Jiang Ranxing couldn't say in the end.
Because she was genuinely worried that Wen Qingrang would regret being with her because of her past marriage and relationships with other men.
She didn't want to find someone to rely on, only to have them torn apart and pushed away again.
Jiang Ranxing himself couldn't explain where this unease came from.
It seems that she has never relied on anyone all along, and gradually, she has stopped relying on that behavior.
Wen Qingrang said softly, "We shouldn't care what others say. We only need to care whether we truly feel happy in our hearts. That's enough. Everyone in this world is subject to criticism. Who won't be pointed at and gossiped about all the time? It's just something to talk about when we're bored. Who really cares whether we're doing well or not, or whether we're happy?"
"So, don't care what others think, it doesn't matter. We're happy together, and that's enough. I won't look at you differently because of your past. If I did, I wouldn't have been so good to you in the first place. The past is the past. If it drags you back into the dark vortex, just let it go, okay?"
Wen Qingrang used all his gentleness to comfort Jiang Ranxing, hoping she could understand his sincere heart.
But no matter how you look at it, Wen Qingrang felt that words could not replace sincerity.
He understood Jiang Ranxing's concerns and sympathized with her thoughts. He also felt that Jiang Ranxing's attitude showed that she genuinely cared about their relationship and that it shouldn't be taken lightly.
Therefore, he was willing to give Jiang Ranxing a sense of security, confidence, and the courage to walk with him. He wanted to face any happiness, storms, or obstacles that might come with him in the future with her.
As it turned out, his words were effective, and it's always good for two people to talk things out face-to-face and resolve issues together.
Jiang Ranxing no longer had to dwell on her own thoughts, which made her feel much more relaxed and at ease.
"Qingrang, with these words from you, no matter what, no matter who tries to stop us, as long as we don't let go of each other's hands, I will not let go of the hand you extend to me."
Jiang Ranxing's promise to Wen Qingrang was also a promise to himself.
For her, a promise was a fundamental thing that she could not break.
Wen Qingrang didn't know if Jiang Ranxing was truly fully conscious at this moment, but he was happy to believe it.
Wen Qingrang didn't say anything, but his eyes were slightly red. He pulled Jiang Ranxing into his arms and felt a slight tremor in his arms. Jiang Ranxing seemed to be crying. She silently lowered her head and leaned against his chest without moving.
Wen Qingrang didn't move, but reached out and gently patted Jiang Ranxing's back.
After crying for a while, Jiang Ranxing stopped sobbing and silently raised her head. Looking at Wen Qingrang's gentle gaze as always, Jiang Ranxing lowered her head again, feeling a little embarrassed.
Wen Qingrang didn't say anything to embarrass Jiang Ranxing, so he pulled Jiang Ranxing silently towards the car.
After they drove back, they tacitly stopped bringing up the topic. After all, they had reached a certain consensus on the issue, so there was no need to bring it up again.
The two of them began to adapt to each other's new identities, but in reality, their lifestyles were not much different from before.
Wen Qingrang is the one who takes good care of Jiang Ranxing, and Jiang Ranxing tells Wen Qingrang everything.
Life is filled with simple happiness.
Soon after, at the studio, Manager Shen and SR finalized the contract. All the details and terms were negotiated by Manager Shen and SR one by one, which not only guaranteed the interests of both parties, but also allowed Jiang Ranxing to develop abroad more freely.
Jiang Ranxing then drove to the SR Fashion building again and signed all his documents.
"How's the contract negotiation with Sylvie going?" Jiang Ranxing asked.
SR's HR manager said, "Her situation is still undecided. She hasn't resolved things with her former employer. We'll discuss it again after she terminates her contract. Of course, we'll still offer her the terms we discussed before."
Jiang Ranxing was less worried after hearing that SR would keep her promise, but she didn't know how Sylvie was doing. Sylvie had said she would contact her and her boss to have dinner, but there had been no news for the past two days.
She was a little worried that Sylvie might be being given a hard time by her boss.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ranxing's phone suddenly lit up. Looking down, he saw that it was indeed Sylvie calling. He answered and heard that it was about the same thing.
“Ember, I’ve set the time and place. We’ll have dinner with the president together, and then I can officially refuse the company’s offer to stay. You won’t offend the new president and risk him making things difficult for you later.”
Jiang Ranxing casually replied, "OK, when and where?"
Sylvie replied, "I made a reservation at a French restaurant on Friday night; the ambiance is quite nice."
"Okay, I'll be there early. See you then."
Jiang Ranxing hung up the phone, and Sylvie put away her phone, got off the elevator, and headed towards the president's office.
When Tan Shen saw her coming, he asked her what she wanted, and Sylvie explained her purpose.
Tan Shen said, "Okay, Mr. Fu isn't here right now, I'll pass the message on to him."
Sylvie thanked her and left.
Tan Shen checked the time and left the company, driving to wait for Fu Shenyuan outside the golf course.
Fu Shenyuan came out with several foreigners in suits, and they seemed to be having a good chat. It was rare for Tan Shen to see Fu Shenyuan showing interest in anything.
Since his wife's car accident and subsequent disappearance, Fu Shenyuan has not been able to focus on his work for a long time, which makes Tan Shen feel relieved.
Fu Shenyuan walked over, and Tan Shen opened the car door for him.
On the way, Tan Shen told him about Sylvie, and Fu Shenyuan checked the time and asked, "Do you have any other plans for Friday?"
"No, Mr. Fu."
Tan Shen naturally confirmed the itinerary before telling Fu Shenyuan.
"Okay, come over ahead of time," Fu Shenyuan instructed.
He was planning how to negotiate with Sylvie and Ember after meeting them on Friday to get them to work for the company.
As Fu Shenyuan pondered, his thoughts drifted off to who-knows-where, finally settling on the figure of a certain person in a daze.
Even though he constantly numbed himself with work and tried to keep himself from thinking about her, Fu Shenyuan couldn't forget Jiang Ranxing.
The name etched in his heart is like a clear curse. Whenever he has a spare moment, he can clearly make Fu Shenyuan realize: you are still losing Jiang Ranxing, and it has never stopped.
Fu Shenyuan felt utterly exhausted. Leaning back in his car seat, he felt that everything in the world had lost its luster and become extremely boring.
The more unforgettable the longing, the more he was tormented by it.
He was responsible for everything; he could not blame anyone else and felt disgusted with himself.
Sometimes he would think that if Jiang Ranxing had treated him this way, he might have left her much earlier, while Jiang Ranxing had been burning herself out by his side for so long without him even realizing it.
There's probably no one more foolish than him in the world.
-
Time flies, and it's Friday afternoon already.
Jiang Ranxing told Wen Qingrang that he was going to have dinner with Sylvie and her boss.
Wen Qingrang didn't consider anything else; since it was a work setting, it was inconvenient for him to show up.
"Are you alright by yourself? Do you want me to take you there?" Wen Qingrang asked her.
"No need, it's just a dinner party, I'll be back soon," Jiang Ranxing said, fixing her hair.
Wen Qingrang walked behind her, looked at her charming figure in the mirror, leaned slightly forward, rested his chin on Jiang Ranxing's shoulder, turned his head and smiled at her, saying:
"Then remember not to drink alcohol, the doctor advised that, remember? Also, don't eat raw or cold food, and don't eat spicy food, and don't..."
Jiang Ranxing extended her index finger and pressed it against Wen Qingrang's lips. Wen Qingrang was startled and stared at her intently.
"Alright, alright, Butler Wen, I know, don't worry, I definitely won't eat anything indiscriminately," Jiang Ranxing said, pointing a few fingers upwards. "I promise."
Wen Qingrang suddenly smiled. Sometimes he did worry about her, but he really couldn't help but worry. Because of his past negligence, she had suffered a near-fatal injury, and he dared not let his guard down again.
Wen Qingrang ruffled her hair and said, "Now that you're done, I'll come pick you up. How long will it take?"
Jiang Ranxing thought for a moment and agreed: "It'll only be two or three hours. There's nothing to say. I'm just making excuses because I need to go and snatch Sylvie away."
Wen Qingrang wanted to drive her directly, but Jiang Ranxing insisted on driving herself, saying there wouldn't be any problems. So Jiang Ranxing left early, planning to go shopping at the mall first and then head to the restaurant for dinner.
Jiang Ranxing wandered around the department store counters for a while, picked out a few pieces of clothing that she liked and bought them directly. Looking at the time, she realized it was almost time to go, so she didn't linger any longer.
When Jiang Ranxing arrived, Sylvie was also in the parking lot.
Sylvie then came over and walked into the restaurant with Jiang Ranxing. Sylvie had booked a very secluded semi-open private room. The environment and overall atmosphere were just right—quiet, beautiful, and very stylish.
The two women started chatting as soon as they sat down. Since they had arrived early, they naturally had more time to chat.
Jiang Ranxing asked, "Hasn't your CEO arrived yet? He's not going to stand us up, is he?"
The appointed time was fast approaching, and Jiang Ranxing was getting a little anxious. If the boss didn't show up, she and Sylvie could go to a more relaxed place instead of waiting here.
Sylvie glanced at her watch and said, "Maybe there was traffic on the way. The president isn't the type to break a promise or be late."
Jiang Ranxing couldn't say anything more, so he stood up and said, "Then I'll go to the restroom first. When he arrives, please keep him occupied for a while."
Sylvie nodded: "Okay, go ahead."
Jiang Ranxing got up and went to the restroom at the corner of the corridor. When she came out, she felt that the restaurant was a bit stuffy, so she wanted to go down the stairs and get some fresh air.
Jiang Ranxing didn't plan to go through the main entrance, as there were many waiters there and it would be easy to cause trouble. Instead, she decided to leave through the back door at the parking lot connection and then go around to the other side.
Jiang Ranxing walked along the road and had just reached the door when he heard the clear sound of the wind chimes on the door. The sound stopped abruptly after a short while.
Jiang Ranxing felt the light in front of her suddenly blocked out, and a figure stood in front of her without moving.
Jiang Ranxing was getting a little impatient. He looked up, wondering who was deliberately blocking his way.
In an instant, Jiang Ranxing felt that he was seeing things. The person standing in front of him seemed to come from a very distant place in his memory. If he didn't look closely, he would hardly recognize him.
In her memory, it had been so long since she had seen this person that it was becoming blurry.
But it was only a moment of hesitation and stiffness. Jiang Ranxing quickly recovered and took a step back, creating distance between himself and the other person. It was neither a deliberate attempt to distance himself nor a deliberate attempt to get close. It was just the right distance for casual conversation, no different from how he would treat an ordinary person.
Jiang Ranxing spoke first, casually saying, "What a coincidence, I even ran into my ex-husband here."
Her tone was light and airy when she spoke, but if you listened carefully, you could still hear a few subtle hints of sarcasm.
Ultimately, it's impossible to feel nothing at all.
But there's not much feeling involved. It's just that meeting your ex-husband is a bit awkward and unfamiliar. You don't know what to say, but you can't lose face in front of your ex and have to be reserved.
She waited for Fu Shenyuan to greet her with the same words, saying something like, "What a coincidence, to run into my ex-wife here." After all, they were divorced, and divorced people would never have a friendly meeting; exchanging a few sarcastic remarks was normal.
She was thinking that if Fu Shenyuan dared to say anything to upset her, she wouldn't care about his feelings.
She didn't want to save face or dignity for Fu Shenyuan.
However, she did not hear the other person speak for a long time.
Jiang Ranxing hesitated and looked up, but was startled by the appearance of Fu Shenyuan in front of her.
What happened to him?
What's with that expression?
Jiang Ranxing looked at Fu Shenyuan with a puzzled expression, as if she had seen a ghost.
It really felt like seeing a ghost.
In her memory, she had never seen Fu Shenyuan with this expression before; in the past six years, she had never, ever seen it.
All she remembered was that they were always silent and indifferent to each other, with little emotional connection.
But who is he putting on this act for? Is it for her?
It was somewhat inexplicably eerie.
Jiang Ranxing had no idea what was going on.
However, at this moment, Fu Shenyuan couldn't even open his mouth and say a proper sentence.
At this moment, his lips were trembling and his whole body was stiff. He was the one who disbelieved in reality even more than Jiang Ranxing.
A person he had been searching for for a long time, someone he had been longing for, suddenly appeared before him, entering his field of vision without warning and when he was least prepared.
The calm and dark lake of her heart was suddenly illuminated, stirring up waves that made her tremble.
He had always imagined how excited he would be when they met again, but he was not. He stood frozen in place, unable to do anything but stare at the person in front of him.
He thought he could blurt out all his longing in an instant, telling her how much he missed her, and pouring all his love onto Jiang Ranxing alone.
But he was completely wrong.
In reality, there's nothing he can do.
Perhaps people don't react immediately when they experience a shock, but Fu Shenyuan is no exception.
He stood there for a few minutes, and suddenly felt an unbearable stinging sensation in the tip of his nose. All his emotions rushed into his heart in an instant, making him feel both sore and swollen. His eyes immediately turned red, and tears gradually welled up in his eyes.
Before Jiang Ranxing could understand what was happening, she watched in disbelief as the man in front of her actually shed tears!
Jiang Ranxing had never seen Fu Shenyuan like this before. She subconsciously took a few steps back and distanced herself from him.
Fu Shenyuan's behavior is very strange, extremely strange.
Jiang Ranxing didn't understand why he was like this.
She couldn't find any related clues in her mind at all.
A couple who were like strangers and had no feelings for each other got divorced. What is he doing?
But that simple step back instantly triggered a dangerous warning line within Fu Shenyuan's body. He immediately stepped forward, pulled Jiang Ranxing into his arms, and then used the strength he cherished most in his life to hold her tightly in his embrace.
Jiang Ranxing was a little startled for a moment, not knowing what Fu Shenyuan was doing.
After a while, she began to struggle.
"Fu Shenyuan, I'm warning you, let me go right now, or I can call the police, you know that?"
Jiang Ranxing shoved him without any politeness, trying to break free from the iron arm.
But the more she struggled to escape, the more it aggravated Fu Shenyuan's already crumbling rationality.
He was still reeling from the shock of the reunion, but his body instinctively didn't want to let Jiang Ranxing leave again.
However, Jiang Ranxing's struggle and resistance were too obvious, so Fu Shenyuan had no choice but to give up.
Fu Shenyuan released his embrace, but didn't let go of Jiang Ranxing at all. He quickly grabbed Jiang Ranxing's wrist with one hand and led her through the back door to the parking lot.
All of this happened so suddenly and quickly that Jiang Ranxing was caught off guard and pulled away. Before she could even process what was happening, her body was already being forcibly moved forward.
Just as she was wondering how to react, she suddenly heard Fu Shenyuan finally speak.
Fu Shenyuan spoke his first words after their reunion, his voice low and his emotions difficult to discern.
He said, "Come with me, I'll take you home."
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