We will not separate
The sun is pouring down and the bells are ringing.
127 hours had passed since Choi Ze disappeared. Yu Li got out of the car wearing a mask. This was a small town in the north of Jitan. The resources were backward and the development was average. Fortunately, the residents of the town did not have high demands and were satisfied with having food and drink.
After investigating all the altars, someone provided information that an injured foreigner had been seen here.
There was no photo, and the person only appeared briefly, so I had no idea what he looked like.
Choi Sang-won wanted to come along, but stayed in the capital of Jitan at Yu-ri's persuasion. Someone had to be in charge. If it wasn't Choi Taek, everyone's trip would have been in vain.
Choi Sang-won thought about it and agreed. He still gave her this trust. Not to mention their status as an engaged couple, Yu Li and Choi Taek had been friends for many years. If he found Choi Taek, he would definitely take good care of her.
So Yu Li took Zheng Zhi He on the road. The plane could not reach this small town directly, and Jitan's railway system was not very developed. After leaving the railway, they took a minibus and a taxi. Not to mention Yu Li, Zheng Zhi He had never suffered such hardship.
Some of the security team members followed behind him, and the rest were still on the way after driving here. Zheng Zhihe checked the route map and found that it would take another two hours to walk from here to the village under its jurisdiction.
Everything went dark.
Cui Ze can really run, Zheng Zhihe thought, provided that Cui Ze is here.
"Shall I ask someone to rent a car?" she asked.
Yu Li stood there for a while. She had a hunch that Cui Ze was here.
She said that staying behind at the base camp was a lie to Choi Sang-won, and she wanted to meet Choi Taek alone.
"Let's find a hotel."
Huh? Zheng Zhihe didn't quite understand. Cui Ze might be right in front of her, so why did he suddenly stop? "Are you not looking anymore?"
"This is for you." Yu Li checked on her phone. The accommodations here were no better than back home, so she chose the best one. "How is this one? The penthouse suite has a balcony and a small garden on the roof. You can go up there and bask in the sun after dinner."
Zheng Zhihe:.
"Aren't you staying?"
"I'm going to find Cui Ze." Yu Li turned around and counted the people. "These two will go with you, and the rest will follow me."
No, Zheng Zhihe grabbed Yu Li's hand, she was very worried: "I'll follow you, I can help if anything happens."
If she didn't follow, she would be finished if anything happened to Yu Li.
Yu Li took Zheng Zhihe's hand away. She knew what Zheng Zhihe was worried about: "Listen, Zhihe, you are not just waiting here. I have something for you to do."
Zheng Zhihe held back her anger, but couldn't help saying, "Isn't this an excuse?"
Yu Li was surprised: "When did I ever make an excuse?"
Indeed, whatever Kwon Yu-ri wants to do, she just needs to give orders. If others don’t understand, then they don’t understand. She won’t explain, and similarly, she doesn’t need to hide it.
Zheng Zhihe had no choice but to agree and went to the hotel selected by Yu Li with two bodyguards. She didn't even think it could be called a hotel.
"What is this, a small inn? It's really an adventure in the countryside."
Yu Li rented a car and went to her destination. She had studied the terrain here. There was only one village that was suitable for hiding, had good information flow, and was close to the altar. If she were Cui Ze, she would stay here.
Two hours later, Yu Li appeared at the entrance of the village.
This village is not rich, or rather, this whole area is not rich. Children in their own clothes ran past Yu Li laughing, and then turned around to look at her because of her special and unique dress.
Yu Li stretched out her hand. The sun was setting and only the evening breeze was blowing. There was a sense of dryness and heat in the air. She didn't know if it was a forecast of a rainstorm or if it was always like this.
She raised her feet and walked into the village step by step.
Cui Ze didn't sleep all night last night. He took a few hours of sleep in the morning, had breakfast, and then went to the roof to bask in the sun.
He was exposed to the sun for several hours. Fortunately, the sun in March was not too strong, otherwise his skin would have been several shades darker.
Cui Ze was worried that Yu Li didn't like dark skin, and what if Yu Li disliked him if he got tanned?
He also remembered that he and Yu Li were in a cold war now. He didn't know if it could be considered a cold war, because Yu Li had always been strong. If someone broke a taboo, she would just pass it by. Maybe after he returned, he would receive a notice from the Quan family to dissolve the marriage.
So he doesn't have to worry about getting a tan.
He smiled, and the local cat next to him licked its paws and looked at him. It lay down again as nothing happened, and the man and the cat turned over and slept on their stomachs.
As the sun sets, every household begins to prepare dinner. Cui Ze twitches his nose and wakes up the sleeping cat: "Wake up, it's time for dinner."
cat:?
It’s not time for dinner yet!
Cui Ze sat up and inadvertently moved the wound on his body. Red seeped through the gauze. He took a look and didn't want to care.
After being attacked, he was chased by a group of people of unknown origin. All his people were captured, and he was the only one who escaped. In a panic, he only had time to send Yu Li his location. Then his phone broke down on the way, and he fled all the way here.
He didn't dare walk around the street, fearing that the people chasing him would get the news. So he asked where the barefoot doctor in the village lived, and he fainted at the door of the doctor's house.
Of course he wasn't really fainting. What if he was a black-hearted doctor like Pei Haocheng? He fainted only after being rescued and taken home and his wounds carefully cleaned. Before closing his eyes, he did not forget to ask the old doctor not to call the police casually.
After he felt a little better, he went for a walk around the town. It depended on his luck whether he attracted Yu Li or the killer.
Day after day, Yu Li didn't come.
Cui Ze's mood became more and more depressed. At this time, he didn't know that the bear party had released a smoke bomb, which caused Yu Li and Cui Shangyuan to divert their attention. They all thought that Cui Ze was caught by the bear party. They acted like a tiger, but finally realized that they had found the wrong direction.
He just felt that Yu Li really didn't want him anymore.
…That’s fine, it meets his expectations.
"Meow." The cat rubbed against his arm, as if to stop the bleeding.
Cui Ze was lazy and didn't want to move at all.
Before Yu Li found Cui Ze, she spotted the altar near the village. It was shabby, exuding a rustic charm, weathered and battered. It was about the size of a roadside flower bed in China. But the villagers cared deeply for it, regularly cleaning it and placing fresh offerings.
When Yu Li arrived, she happened to encounter villagers worshipping. They weren't the legendary "kneeling every 100 meters," but simply kneeling and clasping their hands in prayer. Upon asking, she learned that the goddess Ganarsha appears every few decades, saving several near-death victims. This is why the nearby residents favor this altar.
In Yu Li's opinion, this only shows that modern medical technology is developing better and better. However, everyone has different beliefs, so she will not argue about anything. She also asked if there were any outsiders in the village recently. When she saw the villagers' eyes suddenly become cautious, she understood.
Someone is coming.
Her floating heart fell back to its original place, and Yu Li slowly walked into the village. In a civilized society, there is no rule prohibiting outsiders from entering the village, so the villagers could only watch.
The sun has completely set.
Cui Ze was still sitting on the roof. The old doctor called him to eat, so he drove the cat down. The cat whimpered twice, which made the old doctor laugh.
Taking two steps back, the old doctor saw the red on Cui Ze's arm: "The wound has split? Why are you so careless?"
"Come down quickly, I'll fix it for you."
Cui Ze glanced at it nonchalantly: "It's not bleeding."
The old doctor jumped up and down: "No bleeding doesn't mean it's healed."
This action was a bit funny, and Cui Ze raised the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, he felt something in his heart and looked up into the distance.
A woman was standing in the middle of the road, her mask covering the lower half of her face, leaving only her bright eyes exposed. Her hands were in her pockets, and she was a sight to behold just by standing there.
Cui Ze straightened his back and heard his heartbeat.
Dare not move.
Yu Li and Cui Ze looked at each other from a distance and thought it would be a hassle to find someone. Thanks to Cui Ze sitting on the roof, she could see the person at a glance.
What is he wearing, a padded vest? Why is only one hand exposed? Is he a one-armed hero?
Many thoughts flashed through her mind. She was the first to look away and quickened her pace to walk downstairs.
The house was only one story high, just a bit taller than an average building. Later, I discovered it was filled with hanging herbs. Cui Ze was still sitting on the rooftop, not moving. Yu Li's patience was running out. She looked up, trying to call Cui Ze down, but perhaps her movements were too dramatic and she finally woke him up.
Without Yu Li's call, Cui Ze jumped down from the roof with his hands, and the red color on the gauze became more and more conspicuous.
"Ouch!" the old doctor was startled. "You're still injured!"
It's not like his house doesn't have a ladder.
Cui Ze couldn't hear anything. All the sounds in his ears disappeared, the wind stopped blowing, and he only stared at Yu Li in front of him.
Yu Li was also startled by Cui Ze's actions.
Reaching out her hand, she applauded the man: "Congratulations, you're still alive."
Cui Ze's throat moved and he couldn't speak.
Yu Li turned to the old doctor and learned that Cui Ze had been living in the doctor's house and eating and drinking for free. She felt a little itchy, but she still resisted the urge to thank the old doctor.
Whether it's material or monetary, you can ask for anything.
The old doctor just said there was no rush and asked Cui Ze to heal his injury first.
Cui Ze finally found a topic and spoke to Yu Li in Mandarin: "I promised him that when I get better, I will pay for him to build a clinic and send his grandson to study in the capital of Jitan."
"Tsk." Yu Li sighed, "Cui Ze's life is so cheap." These two things combined would cost a lot of money.
Cui Ze fell silent again.
After a while, he said he wanted to borrow a car. "It's more than two hours from here to town. Let's stay here for one night and go to the capital tomorrow morning."
"Stop." Was Cui Ze planning to go back with Yu Li after being stopped by her? People really do laugh when they're completely speechless. She paused for a long time, not knowing what to say, and finally laughed for a full minute while clasping her hands.
"Cui Ze, Cui Ze." She said, "If you want to go back so much, why do you stay here all the time?"
This isn't a movie where you have to hide and flee after being hunted. In real life, with Choi Taek's abilities, he can definitely contact the authorities and ensure that he can be sent to the capital smoothly. This capital doesn't just refer to the capital of Jitan, but any capital in the country.
But Cui Ze didn't. He thought he was dead and had been unconscious and unable to speak, so he couldn't be contacted. Now he looks lively and energetic, so there is only one explanation.
Cui Ze did it on purpose.
"What are you waiting for?"
Cui Ze turned his back to Yu Li and did not look back.
The old doctor stroked his beard. He didn't understand their language. It seemed like they were arguing, but they didn't fight. In the end, he quietly left with the cat in his arms.
"Speak Cui Ze." Yu Li said coldly.
Cui Ze finally turned halfway around, and his tall body seemed to collapse all of a sudden. This was the first time that Yu Li felt real grievance from him.
Cui Ze said: "I'm waiting for you."
Waiting for you whom I can never see.
This decision was a bit willful. He told himself that he would be willful just this once in his life and set a deadline for himself. If no one came tonight, he would take the initiative to leave early tomorrow morning.
Yu Li was silent.
She wanted to curse, both for this incident and for sending someone to follow her.
However, at this moment, she swallowed back her harsh words, turned sideways, revealing the room behind her. The old doctor was waving at them from inside, asking them to come in and eat.
"No rush." She said, "Let's eat first."
Cui Ze stood still.
His dark eyes stared at Yu Li stubbornly. He wanted to ask why Yu Li came anyway, but was afraid of getting an answer.
Yu Li sighed in her heart, took a few steps forward, held Cui Ze's hand in Cui Ze's shocked gaze, and pulled him back to the house step by step.
The old doctor saw what it meant to be "newly installed limbs that are not yet skilled." Cui Ze walked like a zombie, his legs stiff.
horrible.
After leading the man to sit on a chair and expressing her gratitude to the old man again, Yu Li asked Cui Ze to eat quickly.
"Take it and change the medicine."
Cui Ze stumbled: "Can you help me change?"
Yu Li nodded resignedly.
Cui Ze ate very quickly. He didn't ask Yu Li why she didn't eat. It was impossible for Yu Li to eat the food here. Someone must have prepared something and sent it over.
In less than ten minutes, he finished eating.
Yu Li stood up: "Do you have a private room?"
Cui Ze pointed to the left. The old man's relatives were all working in the town and didn't come back to live there, so they specially made a room for him.
Yu Li went to get medicine from the old man and instructed Cui Ze to get a basin of clean water. After closing the door, the two of them were alone in the room.
The old doctor thought it must be a very warm scene. He saw that they were a couple.
After finally meeting again, they will hug each other and say sweet words.
In fact—
"Cui Ze, stop covering it up."
Yu Li held the handkerchief and scanned Cui Ze's body with a calm gaze. Finally, she raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't worry about the scars ruining your 'perfect' body. Before that, take a look at your face. You haven't shaved in five days, right?"
He didn't show Yu Li his body when he was in good shape - excluding specific environments such as swimming and surfing. Now his body is covered with ugly scars. Cui Ze was already depressed, and when he heard Yu Li's words, he felt terrible.
Yes, he has been recuperating these days. Without Yu Li, he was like a walking corpse and completely forgot to take care of himself.
He touched his face and found his stubble was stiff.
“…Yu Li, I can do it myself.”
Yu Li was too lazy to talk nonsense. She walked forward and held Cui Ze down and started to strip off his clothes. She carefully wiped Cui Ze's wound with a clean towel. Her muscles were tense, as if she was wiping a stone.
While applying the medicine, Yu Li also saw the injuries on Cui Ze's body. They were better than she had imagined. At least his arms and legs were not broken. There was a long wound on his back. It took a long time to apply the medicine. It would probably leave a scar.
Cui Ze also thought of this. Yu Li's breath sprayed on his skin, and his thoughts split into two. One was setting off fireworks, and the other was thinking about going back for medical beauty to remove scars.
After applying the medicine, Yu Li went out with the water. She came back half an hour later, replaced the basin with new water, and borrowed a razor: "Just use it."
Cui Ze was stunned.
She felt a gentle touch on her face. Yu Li's face was close to her. After studying how to shave for a while, she started to do it.
Dusk was falling, the small window of the room was open, and a local cat passed by the windowsill. Its pupils reflected the appearance of a man and a woman at the moment. The woman held the man's face with one hand and moved with the other hand. The man's eyes never left the woman in front of him from beginning to end.
Meow, it wagged its tail and jumped out of the window.
It seems that like a cat, it has met a soft-hearted owner.
By the time Cui Ze's face returned to its former handsome appearance, it was already completely dark. Yu Li held her face and looked left and right. Sure enough, no matter what she did, she would succeed.
The face she had cleaned up herself seemed to look better than before.
"Yuli," Cui Ze whispered, reaching out to cover one of them. The previous hour had been too blissful, like the last sumptuous dinner for a condemned man, the last leisurely day of vacation before the apocalypse—extraordinarily precious, yet elusive.
He looked at Yu Li. He remembered Yu Li's eyes, Yu Li's nose, and Yu Li's mouth clearly in his heart. Although she was so close to him, his heart felt empty.
Yu Li just wanted to sneer at this. Now you are afraid, what were you doing before?
It wasn't raining and the moonlight was still beautiful tonight. Yu Li climbed up the ladder to the roof with the food brought in by the security in her hand.
I've already contacted Choi Sang-won, so there's no rush to leave now.
Cui Ze sat silently beside him.
Yu Li didn't say anything, but ate quietly and slowly. Half an hour later, she took out a wet wipe to wipe her hands, and then looked at Cui Ze.
"Cui Ze, there won't be a third chance. Let me ask again, what is the reason for having someone follow me?"
She had asked before, and Cui Ze said he was just worried about her safety.
If she can't give a true answer, she and Cui Ze will be completely finished.
Cui Ze paused for a second, and after an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke: "I dreamed that you died."
He didn't lie. He arranged the people because he was really worried about Yu Li's safety.
Yu Li's eyelashes trembled, and the events of the third round flashed through her mind. She remained calm and asked, "When?"
"That time in our senior year at the resort, when Yin Yancan set up a trap and you and her fell into the water."
Cui Ze recalled his dream, he remembered it very clearly, he could even describe the pattern of the skirt that Yu Li was wearing at that time.
"I jumped into the sea to save you. It sounds ridiculous, but at that moment I seemed to have really gone to another world."
He saw his wedding with Yu Li.
Before he could be happy, Yu Li fell into his arms covered in blood, and the rings that they had not exchanged in time were scattered at his feet, and no one cared.
"Since then, I have dreamed of this scene every night when I fall asleep."
There was not a single day that was an exception, especially after the arranged marriage partner really changed to him, and everything was developing towards the ending in his dream.
Cui Ze didn't want to believe that it was just a dream. How could Yu Li die? But this dream would not let him go and followed him like a shadow for the next six months.
Cui Ze tried seeing a psychiatrist and even tried not sleeping. After six months, his dreams changed.
Yu Li did not die at the wedding, but died in an abandoned factory. When he rushed over, he only heard an explosion, and then Yu Li's body was bounced against the wall by the strong airflow.
Always one step short.
During that time, Yu Li was busy with the opening of ISG and the enrollment matters. Cui Ze thought about talking to Yu Li, but he himself felt confused. For people like them, a dream was nothing. They might not panic even if the scythe of the god of death really hung over their heads. Besides, it was useless to talk to her.
Are you going to live in fear every day after I tell you that? Yu Li won’t believe it, and neither will anyone else.
Cui Ze just felt that this situation was caused by his obsession affecting his psychology.
Simply put, he is sick, mentally ill.
The two dreams alternated, and he kept his eyes open until dawn, with big dark circles under his eyes. When Yu Li asked him about it, he said it was because he was busy with work, but it was impossible for him not to sleep. As long as he slept, he would dream.
After enduring this for a year, he finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"I've arranged for people to follow you. They report your whereabouts and ensure that no matter where you are, I can find you if you are in danger."
Yu Li listened quietly, unable to speak for a moment. It turned out she wasn't the only one dreaming about the past; Cui Ze did too.
The difference is that Cui Ze only dreams of her death. She kept calling the task publisher, asking what was going on. The task publisher checked for a long time and gave her the answer:
“It’s no surprise that we remember our deepest fears.”
He could not dream of his former glory, but he could dream of Yu Li's death, because in his heart, Yu Li was more important than any other existence, including himself.
Similarly, this is the reason why Song Minjing dreamed about the events of the first week.
What she feared most was that even after trying her best, she still wouldn't be able to be friends with Yu Li.
Yu Li looked at the village in front of her. While everyone was fast asleep, only she and Cui Ze were sitting on the roof.
"Do you still dream about it now?"
Cui Ze said "hmm".
Yu Li recalled Zheng Ruizhen's previous call: "I caught the person you sent to follow me."
Cui Ze was not surprised.
The time is different from what Choi Taek said. The surveillance started in July last year and ended in December when the Yeon Hye-jun incident ended, a total of half a year.
The people who were following said that Choi Ze's instructions were strange. They only had to report Yu Li's geographical location and were not allowed to get close or eavesdrop. In December, Choi Ze suddenly asked them to get closer, and they all thought Choi Ze was crazy.
If he gets close, he will be discovered soon, and then Cui Ze will also be exposed.
But they had no choice but to do as their employer said. It happened that the day was the Qingteng Club membership election, and they found a way to sneak into the after party. It was at this time that Yan Huijun's affair was discovered. After telling Cui Ze, Cui Ze called them back and said that they didn't need to continue to follow them in the future.
They were completely confused by this action. Before Cui Ze came to Jitan this time, he even specifically hinted to them that if they were caught by Yu Li's men, they should not resist too much.
When Zheng Ruizhen told Yu Li the confession, she felt that there was something wrong with Cui Ze.
But Yu Li had already figured it out, Cui Ze did it on purpose.
"You used the incident with Yeon Hye-jun to plant the seeds of suspicion in Jung Seo-jin's heart, waiting for her to come to her senses and tell me, and then I'll question you."
Cui Ze opened his mouth and nodded with difficulty.
"I thought she would have noticed it earlier, and might have felt something was wrong then, maybe at the end of December, but I waited until March."
Yu Li scoffed, "You're deliberately exposing your flaws while monitoring me. Cui Ze, what exactly do you want to do?"
Cui Ze was practically waiting for her to make trouble.
Cui Ze moved his shoulders. He and Yu Li were sitting next to each other with a gap of several centimeters between them. He looked at the gap and felt that it was an unbridgeable chasm.
"Yuli," he called, over and over again, "Yuli."
His voice was hoarse: "I think I'm crazy."
Yu Li suddenly looked at Cui Ze.
The moonlight dimmed and dark clouds gradually obscured the moon.
In Cui Ze's view, he was divided into two selves.
Half of him is paranoid, wanting only to be with Yu Li forever. The outside world is too dangerous, and he wants to be with Yu Li at all times. Once Yu Li is out of his sight, he will become anxious and want to crush anyone who gets close to her.
He didn't want to care about the dream. He stayed with Yu Li as he wished, and began to feel dissatisfied with the superficial relationship of an engaged couple. He wanted Yu Li to respond to him.
So in the past few months, his relationship with Yu Li has become closer and closer.
The other half of him is rational. He knows clearly that he has psychological problems. If he can't control himself, he will become more and more crazy. In the long run, he might hurt Yu Li.
He is a madman. How could Yu Li marry a madman? He told himself that he must leave Yu Li, but just the thought of leaving was painful. It was impossible for him to say the words of separation to Yu Li in person. After a struggle between the two, he gave the decision to Yu Li.
He deliberately revealed a flaw to let Yu Li come to him. If Yu Li could not accept it, he would cancel the engagement.
He was very conflicted. One voice in his head advised him, "Let's die, we can die together." Another voice said, "Let her go, she can live a better life."
"I had two dreams," Cui Ze stared at Yu Li. He didn't realize that his eyes were red. "One was that you died at our wedding. The other was that I heard someone say you were going to get engaged to me, and then you..."
"Did I bring disaster upon you?"
The things he dreamed about were limited, and the only thing in common between the two dreams was that she was engaged to him, so he was deeply self-doubting, wondering if it was because of him that Yu Li's death occurred.
"Cui Ze..." Yu Li didn't expect that Cui Ze had been living such a life in the past one or two years. In her memory, Cui Ze was always high-spirited and confident of victory. He was very capable at such a young age. She thought Cui Ze was the same as her.
There may be troubles, but you will not be bound by them.
She reached out and held Cui Ze's shoulders. It turned out that it was her who made Cui Ze look like this now.
"Cui Ze, it has nothing to do with you. I won't die."
Cui Ze shook his head, thinking that these were just words Yu Li used to comfort him. He was simply ridiculous.
"I'm sorry." He choked. No one would follow him anymore because he and Yu Li had no future.
Yu Li's breath was caught, and after saying "I'm sorry", the world was quiet.
Cui Ze has collapsed.
Time passed minute by minute, and thunder was faintly heard in the distance. Strong winds and heavy rain rushed towards here. In the darkness between heaven and earth, she leaned over and hugged Cui Ze.
"Cui Ze, we will not separate."
Cui Ze was stunned, feeling that it was unreal, but——
He hugged her back tightly, burying his head in Yu Li's neck. Even if it was fake, he was willing to indulge in it.
The necklace around her neck slipped out, revealing a tag with Yu Li's name engraved on the back.
Over the years, whenever he visited a place, the first thing he did was to find out what there was to bless people with. He visited mountain temples to worship, prayed at underwater legends, donated countless amounts of money, and participated in countless charity events.
Every time, it was in the name of Yu Li.
After arriving here, he placed the tag with Yu Li's name on the altar outside the village. He kowtowed every 100 meters, praying earnestly to Ganarsha to bless his Yu Li with safety. When he picked up the tag again, blood gushed from the gaping wound.
He really, really, really loves Yu Li.
Feeling a chill on her neck, Yu Li gently stroked Cui Ze's back. She couldn't tell if that drop of water was rain from the sky or Cui Ze's tears.
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