145. Reverse Suppression
Ling Ling didn't want to pay attention. She didn't need to report anything to Yu Chuanbei anymore, nor did she need to think about her position in his heart. So she just said "hmm" perfunctorily, and then said "I want to rest for a while", and closed her eyes. The thick silence in the car gave her an inexplicable sense of security. Perhaps it was just because she was too tired, she fell asleep quickly. While waiting for the traffic light, he looked back at her sleeping peacefully and silently closed the car window. He stared at her, always feeling that there was sadness between her brows. She was no longer the clear-minded girl. The red light was counting down the seconds, and the time when he could stare at her without any scruples like this was also counting down. The car behind honked its horn, and he turned back reluctantly, sighing helplessly in his heart. The car stopped at the gate of her community. Seeing that she hadn't woken up yet, Yu Chuanbei turned off the car and waited silently. The patter of raindrops hit the front windshield, forming circles of water marks, and then gathered into irregular twisted shapes. He couldn't help but think of the many rainy nights they had spent together. At that time, she was completely his, and being alone like this should have been intimate. But now, everything has changed. He often wondered recently, if he hadn't been so impulsive that time, if he hadn't done such a stupid and evil thing, would they still be together now? However, self-blame and repentance could no longer change the outcome of the matter. The only thing he could do to atone for his sins was to let go. There was a light knock on the car window, not on his side. He was afraid of waking Ling Ling, so he looked for the source of the sound alertly. Someone was knocking on Ling Ling's window. He looked closely in the light of the street lamp - it was Zhong Mingtong. His heart sank, and he slowly got out of the car and gently closed the door. Ling Ling awoke, dazed. Opening her eyes, she saw her two ex-boyfriends standing outside the car door on her side. Panic seized her, and she hurried out. The drowsiness from half-sleep and the stench of alcohol still left her feeling dizzy. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Zhong Mingtong caught her in time, wrapping a firm arm around her waist and holding her close to him. "Mr. Yu," Zhong Mingtong said. "Doctor Zhong," Yu Chuanbei said. The two men exchanged cold greetings. The rain had just stopped, but the wind picked up again, and Ling Ling felt a chill. "He and I happened to meet at the awards ceremony. We had to walk up the mountain road, and it was raining, so he gave me a ride back," she explained to Mingtong. Mingtong nodded and said calmly, "Well, thank you, Mr. Yu. Then, let's go home." "Okay."
Ling Ling didn't want to pay attention. She didn't need to report anything to Yu Chuanbei anymore, nor did she need to think about her position in his mind. So she just said "hmm" perfunctorily, and then said "I want to take a rest", and closed her eyes.
The thick silence in the carriage inexplicably gave her a sense of security. Perhaps because she was too tired, she fell asleep quickly.
While waiting for the traffic light to turn red, he looked back at her sleeping peacefully and silently closed the car window. He stared at her, feeling a sense of sadness lingering between her brows. She was no longer the bright and clear-eyed girl she once was. The red light was counting down the seconds, and the time he could gaze at her carefreely like this was also counting down.
The car behind honked its horn. He turned back reluctantly, sighing helplessly in his heart.
The car stopped at the gate of her residential complex. Seeing that she hadn't woken up yet, Yu Chuanbei turned off the engine and waited silently. The patter of raindrops hit the windshield, forming circles of water streaks that then converged into irregular, twisted shapes. He couldn't help but think of the many rainy nights they had spent together. Back then, she was completely his, and their solitude, like this, must have been intimate and close.
But now, things have changed. He often wondered if he hadn't been so impulsive and hadn't done such a foolish and evil thing, would they still be together now? However, self-blame and repentance could no longer change the outcome. The only thing he could do to atone for his sin was to let go.
There was a gentle knock on the car window, not on his side. He was wary of waking Ling Ling, so he searched for the source. Someone was knocking on Ling Ling's window. He looked closely in the light of the street lamp—it was Zhong Mingtong. His heart sank, and he slowly stepped out of the car, gently closing the door.
Ling Ling woke up in a daze. When she opened her eyes, she saw her two ex-boyfriends standing outside the car door on her side. She immediately panicked and hurried out of the car.
The drowsiness from sleeping halfway and the smell of a hangover made her feel a little dizzy. She staggered and almost fell. Fortunately, Zhong Mingtong supported her in time, then put his arms around her waist and held her tightly against his side.
"Mr. Yu." Zhong Mingtong said.
"Doctor Zhong." Yu Chuanbei said.
The two men greeted each other coldly. The rain had just stopped, but the wind started to blow again. Ling Ling felt a little cold. "He and I happened to meet at the award ceremony. We had to walk on the mountain road and it was raining, so he took me back." She explained to Mingtong.
Mingtong nodded and said calmly, "Well, thank you, Mr. Yu. Then, let's go home."
"Okay." Ling Ling said obediently, her waist still held tightly by him.
"This is Mr. Yu's coat, right?" Mingtong said as he looked at the coat that slipped onto Ling Ling's arm.
She was in such a hurry just now that she realized that she was still half wearing Yu Chuanbei's coat, so she quickly took it off.
Mingtong took it and handed it back to Yu Chuanbei. Then he held Lingling's hand and took her away.
Yu Chuanbei watched their backs as they left, and in his heart he only hoped that if Zhong Mingtong caught them together, it would not damage their relationship, and would not encourage Zhong Mingtong to do something to hurt her like he had done in the past.
Thinking of this, everything I just recalled seemed even more desolate.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
After entering the building, Zhong Mingtong let go of Ling Ling's hand on the pretext of opening the door, and never held it again.
They entered Ling Ling's house together. She changed into slippers, but saw that he was still standing at the door without moving.
She knew she needed to explain further, so she said, "Yu Chuanbei and I really met by chance at the awards ceremony. I had no idea he would be there. He offered to take me back, and since it was dark, the road was long, and it was raining, I agreed. We didn't talk at all in the car. I was so tired that I fell asleep, and when I woke up I saw you. That's it."
Zhong Mingtong still stood at the door, not planning to approach her again. He said indifferently, "I specifically swapped shifts with a colleague so I could come back and celebrate with you. But it seems you've already had quite a few drinks at the celebration party, so forget it. I still have a paper to write, so I'll stay at my place today."
Seeing him turn around and leave, Ling Ling said in a pleading tone: "Mingtong, I'm sorry, I didn't expect this result."
"Because you didn't expect me to see you." He was obviously suppressing his anger. "I think I was wrong. I shouldn't have intervened when you haven't figured out your previous relationship."
"No——" Ling Ling wanted to deny it, but she didn't know what to say to reassure him.
Zhong Mingtong didn't want to listen to any more unnecessary explanations, so he turned around and left.
As Ling Ling listened to the resolute slam of the door, she suddenly realized that her peaceful relationship with Zhong Mingtong wasn't a result, but a cause. It was because Zhong Mingtong only enjoyed a peaceful state and handled all conflicts calmly. But for Ling Ling, this peace, which she had thought she would enjoy, had become a form of oppression.
Ling Ling sighed deeply, feeling powerless in her current situation. She decided to take a shower to relieve her fatigue. She'd originally thought she'd just fall asleep, as she'd have new work to deal with the next day. The entanglements of love life were always unsolvable, and the struggles at work were much more straightforward.
Perhaps she slept too much in Yu Chuanbei's car, or perhaps she couldn't sleep because she felt sorry for Zhong Mingtong. In any case, Ling Ling tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. She had to get up, cut a plate of fruit, and went downstairs to bring it to Mingtong.
She knocked tentatively on the door before opening it with her key and going in. Seeing the light in the study was on, she sidled up to the door, leaned against the doorframe, and said to Mingtong, who was buried in a pile of books, "You're such a good boyfriend. You're so angry, yet you're still here quietly writing your paper. Aren't you afraid that your anger will make you lose your mind and lead to incorrect conclusions in your paper?"
Mingtong's anger had died down after two hours of calm. Seeing her grouchy look again, he was no longer angry. He said, "That will never happen, because I'm a very professional doctor, and of course - also a very professional boyfriend."
Ling Ling burst into laughter, holding the fruit plate and walking around behind him. She put her arm around his neck and fed him a mouthful of cantaloupe with a fruit fork. Then she whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry. I will definitely try harder to avoid any contact with him in the future."
Mingtong took the fork and fed her a bite of fruit in return, then said, "No, what I hope for is that one day, neither you nor I will be afraid of meeting him."
Ling Ling placed the fruit plate on the desk, hugged his neck tightly, gently kissed his cheek, and whispered to him, "Well, now and in the future, it's still just the two of us."
Zhong Mingtong turned around and let Ling Ling sit on his lap, the two of them lingering in a wet kiss. Suddenly his phone rang. It was his mother calling.
When he answered the phone, he heard his mother's sobbing. It turned out his father had suffered a heart attack and had been rushed to the county hospital for emergency treatment. The doctor said the situation was not optimistic, and his mother was completely devastated. Mingtong tried to comfort his mother incoherently while hurriedly getting up to pack his luggage.
Ling Ling listened attentively to his phone calls and quickly helped him make various preparations. She used the railway ticket purchasing app and grabbed the fastest high-speed train ticket back to his hometown. Then she pulled out her suitcase and quickly stuffed it with simple clothes. She also put the documents she had just found back into his wallet.
At this time, he also hung up the phone. Seeing that Ling Ling had already taken care of everything for him, he squeezed her hand gratefully.
"I'll go back with you." Ling Ling was worried when she saw him looking so distraught.
"No, no need. I can do it alone." Mingtong checked his ID one last time and was ready to leave. "You have a lot of things to do at the company and you've been very tired recently. Don't run away with me. Just wait for me at home. I'll go back and check on my father. If he's in good health, I'll arrange for him to be transferred to another hospital and come to Beijing for surgery."
"Well, then you have to take care of yourself. If you need me, I can come and help you anytime." Ling Ling stroked his arm to comfort him.
Mingtong pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
Ling Ling heard his pounding heartbeat and sensed his fragility and fear. She added, "Everything will be fine. The last time Uncle saw me, didn't he say he'd ask Auntie to teach me how to make osmanthus cake the next time we had dinner together?"
"Yeah." Mingtong's voice was muffled, but when he let her go, his eyes were much firmer, "I'm leaving."
Ling Ling finally shook his hand and said, "Be careful on your way. Don't be afraid to disturb my sleep. Let me know you're safe as soon as you arrive."
"Okay." Mingtong responded to her seriously.
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