Chapter 90 Chapter 90
In the evening, the warm wind turned cool and the setting sun was as red as blood.
An Jiyue stood at the door of the ward and saw a figure moving inside. She recognized it as Yue Hui's back.
The door wasn't completely shut, and occasional voices could be heard. She raised her hand, her fingertips trembling violently, and hesitated to make up her mind to push the door open.
Lu Ye stood shoulder to shoulder with An Jiyue, never leaving her side, like a knight ready to protect her at any moment. He was more than a head taller than An Jiyue, and through the glass, he could see the man on the hospital bed.
The man was skinny, with sunken cheeks, but he smiled cheerfully, "I think it's fine. Others lose their hair during chemotherapy, but I can't tell if I'm losing hair."
The man said this, pointing to his shiny head, where the crooked scars of his ordination were faintly visible. It looked like he had been a monk for a long time.
Lu Ye smiled faintly along with him, and suddenly understood where An Jiuyue inherited her optimistic nature from.
He held An Jiuyue's fingertips, and his dark eyes gave her a firm and gentle look.
"Jiyue, don't be afraid."
He will be here to face everything with her.
An Jiyue pushed open the door. Her throat was dry and her voice was hoarse as she called out, "Dad."
She hadn't called out these two words, both strange and familiar, for years. As soon as she uttered them, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
The man on the bed was stunned, his lips trembling, staring at her up and down with excitement that could not be concealed.
Yue Hui quickly helped Amber sit up. Amber stretched out her trembling hands to An Jiyue: "Yue'er? Yue'er has grown so big?"
When Amber and Chen Xian sent her to school, An Jiuyue was still a youthful female college student. In the blink of an eye, she was wearing a shirt and skirt, and high heels, with a graceful figure and mature demeanor.
Lu Ye pinched An Jiuyue's fingers, exchanged glances with Yue Hui, and the two of them quietly retreated out the door together.
He sat upright on a hard chair at the door. Yue Hui asked curiously, "Aren't you going out? I'm going to prepare vegetarian food for Uncle An. Come with me."
Lu Ye shook his head: "I'll stay here. Oh, and buy some food for Ji Yue, she couldn't eat."
He had promised to be there for her.
Sobs soon emanated from behind the unlocked door, gradually turning into sobs and wails. Apologies, explanations, relief, longing—years of emotion mingled in the ward.
But no matter whether they cried bitterly or hugged each other and cried, after everything in the ward was over, he would open his arms to welcome her at the door and accompany her to face the chaotic world together.
An Jiyue would no longer be alone. Even if she had to say goodbye to her parents, she would still have him by her side.
Lu Ye closed his eyes, searching through the distant past for fragments of memories from the year he first entered the industry. Aside from the emptiness gnawed away by the breakup, scattered memories were the 24/7 response time of a newcomer, the endless business trips, reports, and material preparation.
And a piece of bland news, "Long-established investment institution Anshi Capital announced the suspension of domestic business", which he angrily brushed aside.
How desperate would An Jiyue be when she was abandoned by her parents at that time?
The apple of her eye, who had been raised with care and respect, had her smooth life shattered, and the person she trusted and missed the most at that time broke up with her so ruthlessly and coldly over the phone.
Even though she is optimistic and calm by nature, she must be in great pain when she goes through all this.
Lu Ye frowned, the whimpering in his ears gradually subsided, and the suffocating heartache belatedly crept into his heart.
An Jiyue was someone he had verified with his soul, so it was easy for him to put himself in her shoes. He looked at the door beside him that had not been closed, and his eyes reddened.
Back then, she had clearly only wanted to help him out of kindness. He could have easily refused, but why had he gotten so angry and vented his anger, not only leaving her across the ocean but also causing her to miss all these years in vain?
After a long time, An Jiuyue walked out of the ward with swollen eyes. She looked up and saw the man with red eyes staring at her.
Before she could open her mouth, she saw Lu Ye open his arms, and her whole body was held in his arms, with her head pressed tightly against his chest.
The heavy and powerful heartbeat echoed in her ears, and Lu Ye's nasal breathing rose and fell.
She heard him whisper, "Don't be afraid, I'm here this time. I'll face anything with you."
An Jiyue closed her eyes, her heart at peace: "Yes. Lu Ye, accompany me to see my mother."
An Jiyue's mother, Chen Xian, had also become a nun, having seen through the mundane world. The temple she worked in was a two-hour drive away, nestled in the same mountain range as the temple where Amber had previously practiced.
Even though she had taken vows and cut herself off from worldly affairs, Amber still wanted to be closer to her, so she came here.
The temple's backyard was not suitable for receiving men, so Lu Ye stayed in the front hall corridor. An Jiyue followed the little nun who led the way and walked all the way inside to the door of a meditation room.
The paths are winding and deep, with lush flowers and trees, and Zen rooms hidden among them, but the people living there are all people who have escaped from the world of pleasure.
Chen Xian, who was called out, was obviously surprised by the visitor. She went out puzzledly and met the pair of brown eyes filled with tears.
"Mother!"
An Jiyue shouted crisply and rushed forward regardless of anything, her tears wetting Chen Xian's wide robe.
They hadn't seen each other for many years, but Chen Xian still couldn't help but hug her daughter tightly as she threw herself into her arms, bursting into tears.
The ascetic nuns all looked askance. In such a quiet place, where even the sound of conversations was like the chill of a mountain spring year-round, how could they possibly witness such unbridled sobbing and tears streaming down their cheeks?
"Donor, this is Master Huiqing." Shani, who was leading the way, reminded softly, "Senior Sister, please go to the side room and chat."
An Jiyue followed her mother to the side room, unwilling to let go for a moment, looking at her mother's face.
Her mother looked much the same as she remembered her. Her features were much more refined, no longer as bright as before, a glimpse into her happy and peaceful life. Living in a picturesque setting and eating a vegetarian diet, her figure seemed to have acquired a certain detachment and grace.
Chen Xian asked her about her recent situation in detail, from the present to the past. When she heard that An Jiuyue was alone and wandering outside at that time, she couldn't help wiping away her tears.
"Yue'er, your father and I are sorry for you."
An Jiyue's heart skipped a beat. Chen Xian had always avoided mentioning her father, and An Jiyue tacitly followed suit. This was the first time she had taken the initiative to mention Amber.
An Jiyue hesitated for a few seconds, but finally spoke out: "Mom, do you want to go see Dad? He's sick, very sick, and I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left."
Chen Xian shook her head, her eyes were as calm as a still pond, and her brown pupils, the same color as An Jiuyue's, were like a pool of stagnant water.
"I couldn't enter the world, but now at least I can leave it completely."
The person in front of him transformed into Master Huiqing, who had cut off the six desires, anger and ignorance. She gently stroked An Jiuyue's hand and took a deep breath with a calm expression.
"Love is but an illusion. Let us settle the past between your father and I in the next life."
Master Huiqing took An Jiuyue's hand and walked her to the front hall, where she saw a cool and elegant figure standing in the corridor.
Lu Ye stood in the shadow of the sycamore tree. The sky was dark, the clouds thick, and it looked like rain was coming. He blended into the gloomy light, his clothes fluttering in the wind in the courtyard, forming a white light.
His body is as tall as a pine tree, and his eyes are as dark as the abyss.
But her eyes were only on An Jiyue who was walking beside her.
She clasped her hands together in greeting.
An Jiyue blinked: "Mom, this is Lu Ye. Do you still remember him? We - we are still together now."
Master Huiqing's eyes widened in surprise, and a look of slight surprise appeared on her face, which was similar to An Jiuyue's. She looked at the man in front of her for a moment.
She looked at Lu Ye repeatedly with scrutiny and curiosity, as if she had suddenly turned back into Chen Xian, the mother who was keeping an eye on her daughter.
"Auntie," Lu Ye stepped forward, also bowed in greeting, and said coldly and respectfully, "I hope everything is going well for you here."
Chen Xian nodded. She had only seen a photo of Lu Ye, then a student, on An Jiuyue's phone. She vaguely remembered him as a man with a cool figure and deep, dark eyes, who possessed a maturity and composure beyond his years.
Now it seems that he must be a young talent with a bright future.
Chen Xian patted An Jiyue, signaling her to go back with her. She looked at her daughter with some guilt:
"I thought you were going to have a good time soon. Yet I said such discouraging words to you."
An Jiyue grinned at her: "Mom, it's okay."
"What happened between your father and I was the result of karma, and I have to bear the consequences myself. Hurting you back then was sin enough, and I hope I won't affect your faith in marriage any further.
"After all these years, it's truly fate that that young man is still with you. You should cherish him."
An Jiyue lowered her eyes, her little hand lying in her mother's warm and dry palm, and her wet heart also became warm.
The tears she shed in the past two days were almost as many as when she encountered misfortune abroad. But it was like the melting of ice and snow and the blooming of spring flowers.
An Jiyue smiled through her tears, and like a sensible child, she asked her mother not to worry.
"Lu Ye and I have already learned our lesson and endured the punishment. From now on, things will go more smoothly."
She tugged at Chen Xian's sleeve and shook it, saying coquettishly:
"Mom, can you please pray for me when you have time?"
When it was time for lunch, the nuns went to the dining hall in silence. However, Master Huiqing went against the flow of people, holding the hand of a young woman and heading towards the bedroom.
She asked An Jiuyue to wait at the door for a while, and went in to get three lucky bags and stuffed them into An Jiuyue's hands.
An Jiyue held it up to her eyes and looked at it carefully: "What is this?"
Chen Xian: "I made this lucky bag myself, and put different charms in it. One is for your safety and health, one is for a long-lasting and happy marriage, and the last one is—"
She leaned close to her daughter's ear and whispered, "Make sure your partner is always faithful."
After saying this, Master Huiqing winked at her mysteriously. It seemed this wasn't a blessing, but some kind of witchcraft. If the other person changed their mind, they would suffer an unexpected disaster and die an ugly death.
An Jiyue chuckled, held the lucky bag tightly, and said goodbye to her mother.
On the way back, Lu Ye listened to her talk about the "effects" of the three lucky bags, and a smile spread across his face. Although his mother-in-law had become a nun, she was quite charming.
He hung the first lucky bag on An Jiyue's bag and packed the last one for her. He only took the second lucky bag and put it in his own pocket.
An Jiyue's eyes were round and round: "This is a gift from my mother to bless me with a long and happy marriage. What are you going to do with it?"
Lu Ye narrowed his eyes at her and sneered in a fake threat. He pinched her chin and kissed her hard several times as if punishing her.
Your marriage and my marriage are obviously the same marriage.
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