His back was straight, like a plant growing stubbornly in the cold wind. From beginning to end, he never looked at Luo Liang again, nor said another word. Only Luo Liang was left silent in the living room, and the phone on the coffee table still warm from his palm.
....... .......
Ten minutes later.
The sensor light in the entrance hall lit up when Luo Shuhe entered the room. The central air conditioning did not dispel the coldness on her body - her coat was still stained with the cold air from outside, the ends of her hair were slightly messy, and the anger on her face was gone, leaving only a deep fatigue. She was even half a beat slow in changing her shoes.
In the living room, dim light shone on Luo Liang. She sat on the edge of the sofa, her hands clasped on her knees, her fingertips rubbing unconsciously, and she had obviously been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Luo Shuhe come in, she asked tiredly, "What on earth happened between you and Shu Ning just now?"
Luo Shuhe didn't go too far and stood at the junction of the entrance and the living room, with his back to the light and his profile hidden in the shadows.
She was silent for two seconds before she slowly spoke, her voice so low it seemed covered by a veil: "I slapped her."
“.......”
Luo Liang froze in shock, his eyes widening slightly: "...Why?"
Luo Shuhe lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the tips of his shoes. His throat moved before he continued, each word tinged with a subtle bitterness: "I was distracted by my concern... I saw my sister sitting on the railing of the pond, her back to me, leaning forward to look at the lake, and I thought she was going to jump and commit suicide."
At this point, he paused, his voice becoming even softer, and a hint of self-mockery: "Later, when I calmed down, I realized that I must have misunderstood. My sister seemed to have grabbed the railing at the time. Besides, she had won the city swimming championship before, so how could she..."
Before he could finish his words, the living room suddenly became quiet.
Luo Liang looked at Luo Shuhe's depressed look, his lips moved, and finally he slowly raised his right hand:
"Yesterday, I slapped her, too."
With a "pop" sound, it was as if something broke in Luo Shuhe's heart.
She raised her head suddenly, her pupils suddenly constricted, her drooping shoulders instantly tensed, and her voice changed tone: "...Why?"
Luo Liang's gaze drifted towards Luo Shuning's door, a mist of regret spreading across his eyes. His voice was so deep it hurt: "Shuning told me that everything was her fault. She said she was secretly looking for Gu Luo without telling you, and in the end, you and Gu Luo couldn't bear to hurt her, so you accepted her..."
“…”
Luo Shuhe's body shook, as if someone had pushed him hard. He froze in place, his eyes becoming dull in an instant.
The air seemed to freeze, and the mother and daughter looked at each other from a few steps away. Luo Liang looked at Luo Shuhe's petrified appearance, and the last bit of hope in his heart disappeared.
She was obviously right. Shu Ning was deliberately taking all the blame on herself.
She regretted it the moment she slapped Shu Ning yesterday, but for the sake of face, she could only slam the door and leave. Now that she thought about it, that slap was not only on Shu Ning's face, but also on her heart.
Luo Shuhe took a long time to find his voice, and there seemed to be sand stuck in his throat:
"Sister...Sister is always like this, she handles everything by herself."
He clenched his fists, and guilt and self-blame surged up like a tide, drowning him.
Luo Shuhe immediately turned around and walked quickly towards Luo Shuning's door. His fingers hovered over the door panel, but he didn't dare to knock immediately. He paused for two seconds before knocking lightly:
"Sister, open the door, I have something to tell you."
There was no response from inside the door, only dead silence.
Tried several times, and it was always the same.
Luo Shuhe's heart sank. He leaned forward and gently rested his head on the cold door panel. His voice was filled with trembling guilt.
"Sister, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
There was still no movement, even the breathing sounds inside the door seemed to have disappeared.
Luo Liang stood in the living room, quietly looking at Luo Shuhe's back. This usually tough daughter of her father was now like a child who had done something wrong. She buried her face in the door panel, her shoulders trembling slightly.
She closed her eyes in pain, her fingertips tightly gripping the armrest of the sofa - she regretted hitting Shu Ning, and felt sorry for her two daughters' grievances, but when she thought of the entanglement between Gu Luo and them, and the endless troubles that might arise if they didn't separate, her heart couldn't help but harden again.
The fact that the three of them were together is no longer important.
In any case, they must be sent abroad after three days.
The light from the floor lamp stretched the shadows of the mother and daughter very long. One leaned against the door and whispered guiltily, while the other stood there in silence. The silence in the living room was heavier than any other sound.
Everything will erupt completely one day.
...... ......
...... ......
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