154. It’s all over
"I've been following your Weibo, just like before. You'll send me a sound reminder when you have new push notifications." Yu Chuanbei smiled meaningfully, which immediately reminded Ling Ling of the year when he and she were in the truck compartment, his identity was exposed because of the sound reminder on Weibo, and their first official kiss. Ling Ling pouted, deliberately ignoring his hint, then asked him, "Do you think I handled it well? Was it too reckless? And if it's published online, the consequences will be uncontrollable." "No! Only extraordinary measures can be used to deal with that kind of evil person. Only by doing so can you completely eradicate him and put an end to his shameless thoughts. And what you're doing is not just for yourself, but for the many more people who might be harmed by him in the future. So even if you're misunderstood and cyberbullied by strangers, it's worth it." Ling Ling looked at him gratefully, "Thank you for saying that." But she didn't want this gratitude to simmer into nostalgia, so she packed up her things and said, "It's getting late, I should go." "Then I'll take you—uh…" He stood up and wanted to see her off, but hesitated when he thought of the trouble he might have caused her after their last encounter with Zhong Mingtong. Ling Ling understood what he meant, but didn't explain. She just smiled faintly and said, "No, I can go by myself." "Then can you come with me to get something from my car?" Although Ling Ling didn't know what the thing was, she didn't ask any questions and just followed him. Yu Chuanbei took out a dark blue paper box from the trunk, inside which was an A4-sized board painting wrapped in oil paper. "Here, it's for you." "What is this?" "Open it and take a look." Ling Ling opened the tightly wrapped board painting, which turned out to be a tulip painting with a unique style. Upon seeing the painting's contents, she was momentarily speechless with astonishment. It took a long time before she spoke: "This painting is—" "Yes, your father painted it," Yu Chuanbei said. "Lingdong found it in Germany. She hasn't been able to contact the person you gave her the contact information for, and she suspects they're selling off your father's paintings. When I first saw this painting, it reminded me of the tulips you painted back then. It truly shows your father's legacy. And the small cursive characters in the lower right corner, 'lie Ling'er'—I recognized them. I used to think 'lie' meant to lie, but it turns out it's the abbreviation for 'dear' in German." Yu Chuanbei wanted to go on and tell her a little more about their past with the painting, but thinking of her current situation, he felt that telling would only add to her troubles, so he gave up. Lingling stroked the frame, her eyes...
"I've been following your Weibo, just like before. You'll send me a sound reminder when you have new push notifications." Yu Chuanbei smiled meaningfully, which immediately reminded Ling Ling of the year when he and she were in the truck compartment, his identity was exposed because of the sound reminder on Weibo, and their first official kiss.
Ling Ling pouted, deliberately ignoring his hint, and then asked him, "Do you think I handled it well? Was it too aggressive? And if it's published online, the consequences will be uncontrollable."
"No! You can only use extraordinary measures to deal with such evil people. Only by doing so can you completely eradicate him and put an end to his shameless thoughts. And what you do is not just for yourself, but for the many people who may be harmed by him in the future. So even if you suffer misunderstandings and online violence from strangers, it's worth it."
Ling Ling looked at him gratefully, "Thank you for saying that." But she didn't want this gratitude to turn into nostalgia, so she packed up her things and said, "It's getting late, I should go."
"Then I'll take you - uh..." He stood up and wanted to take her there, but when he thought of the trouble he might have caused her after meeting Zhong Mingtong last time, he hesitated again.
Ling Ling understood what he meant, but she didn't explain. She just smiled and said, "No, I can go by myself."
"Then could you come with me to get something from my car?"
Although Ling Ling didn't know what the thing was exactly, she didn't ask much and just followed.
Yu Chuanbei took out a dark blue paper box from the trunk. Inside was an A4-sized board painting wrapped in oil paper. "Here, this is for you."
"What's this?"
"Open it and take a look."
Ling Ling opened the tightly wrapped painting, revealing a uniquely styled tulip. Upon seeing the painting's contents, she was stunned for a moment, and after a long pause, she finally spoke, "What is this painting—"
"Yes, it was painted by your father," Yu Chuanbei said. "Lingdong found it in Germany. She hasn't contacted the person whose contact information you gave her before, and she suspects that the other party is selling your father's paintings one after another. When I first saw this painting, I thought of the tulips you painted. It really has your father's true style. And the small cursive words 'lie Ling'er' in the lower right corner of the painting, I recognized it. I used to think that 'lie' meant to lie, but it turns out that in German it is the abbreviation of 'dear'." Yu Chuanbei wanted to talk about some of their past experiences with the painting, but thinking about her current situation, she felt that if she said it, it would only add to her troubles, so she gave up.
Ling Ling stroked the painting frame, her eyes slightly moist. "Thank you," she said sincerely. Then something else occurred to her, so she asked, "How much is this painting? I'll transfer it to you now."
Yu Chuanbei waved his hands and said, "No, why would I ask for your money? This painting originally belonged to you."
"But, we also need to give money to Sister Lingdong, right?"
"She's the one who asked me to bring it to you. She's still helping you find other paintings your father lost."
"Thank you." Ling Ling held her father's painting in her arms, as if she could feel her father's warmth.
Although she was in a complicated mood at the moment, she realized that it was time to leave. After saying goodbye to him briefly, she turned around and wanted to leave, but was stopped by Yu Chuanbei hesitantly.
Ling Ling looked at him inquiringly, making him even more nervous. He swallowed and finally asked, "I've always wanted to ask you, but I felt that your boyfriend is a doctor and it's not my turn to care. But - I still want to know. Last time you were discharged from the hospital, you didn't let me go. I asked the doctor again, but he said it was patient privacy and couldn't disclose it. I just want to know, are you feeling okay after that miscarriage? Will there be any sequelae that will affect your future fertility?"
She could see the anxiety in his eyes. It seemed like this matter had been tormenting him. She smiled in relief and said, "It's all fine now. The doctor said it was just because my skin was sensitive when I bled so much. Later, during a follow-up check, the doctor also said it wouldn't affect my future at all."
"That's good." Yu Chuanbei sighed deeply, "Otherwise, I really don't know how to wash away my sins. Of course, there's no way to alleviate my sins now."
"It's all over." Ling Ling said in a muffled voice.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ling Ling was grateful for her promotion, which meant she no longer had to work in the office, or squeeze into the dull crowds that sapped her fighting spirit. Living alone, she usually ate brunch together, her life was irregular, and she didn't need a routine.
At the western restaurant downstairs from her company, Ling Ling ordered a takeout meal to take back to the office. While waiting to pick up her meal, she seemed to hear a familiar voice. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Ren Qingshi, Rong Xinhua and their daughter Ren Congrong dining there.
She looked at the three of them, but she didn't feel any joy. Only Qingshi or Xinhua interacted with Rong'er in a single line, and there was no communication between them. Even when one of them spoke, the other chose to ignore it.
Ling Ling couldn't help but recall the rumors about their divorce that she had heard from old classmates over the years. They said that Xinhua and Qingshi were divorced, and that Xinhua became the mistress of her unit leader, and that Qingshi also had an affair with another woman outside. She also heard that later the leader was arrested, and that they remarried and lived together, seemingly in harmony but spiritually distant.
Because Shengnan was involved in these rumors, she never believed them to be true, but now, she seemed to be able to guess whether the rumors were true or not from the indifference between them.
"Ma'am, your meal is ready, ma'am--" The waiter called several times before Ling Ling came out of her distraction.
Rong Xinhua also heard her noise. When she picked up her lunch bag and looked in their direction, she met Xinhua's kind gaze. Qingshi's eyes were tinged with panic. He seemed not to want to see her. He glanced at her and then lowered his head to continue talking to his daughter.
Ling Ling had no choice but to walk over and greet them as warmly as possible. Fortunately, the meal came with a toy, which Ling Ling could use to coax Rong Er.
"What a coincidence, your family of three is here too!" Ling Ling said.
Xinhua stood up and said, "Yes, isn't today Children's Day? We brought Rong'er here to celebrate. She's had a lot of exams lately, so we wanted to bring her out to relax. Your company is nearby, right?"
Ling Ling nodded and said, "Yes, it's in this building. I'm getting ready to go to work now. This is the Children's Day gift that came with the set meal I just ordered. Rong'er, can I give it to you?"
Rong'er took it with surprise, but pouted and said, "But this one is the same as the one you just gave me."
"Then Daddy'll take you to the store clerk to exchange them. I see there are three models on the display." Ren Qingshi finally found an excuse to escape their chance encounter. Ling Ling could see that his eyes were constantly avoiding her, and she understood that her appearance must have reminded him of Hao Shengnan.
"Your appearance must have reminded him of Hao Shengnan." Xinhua said after the father and daughter left.
Ling Ling looked at her in surprise, but she just smiled nonchalantly. "We're remarried." Xinhua said this, as if admitting something everyone else was trying to avoid, yet she displayed the courage to bravely take on the responsibility without fear of worldly matters.
Ling Ling nodded awkwardly, but didn't know what to say. She couldn't just say "congratulations".
Xinhua seemed to have no one to talk to, so she told her without any reservations, "It's because of the child. One time, Rong'er had a high fever and the doctor gave her a critical condition notice. At that time, she was sick and said that she hoped mom and dad could be with her. We promised her that as long as she could get better, our family would be together forever. We can't say we are happy or unhappy now, we are just like most couples in the world. Love is nothing, parental love is the greatest, isn't it?"
Ling Ling still didn't know how to react, so she just nodded stiffly in response.
Rong'er finished choosing gifts, and they waited at the front desk. Rong'er waved to her mother, inviting her to leave. Lingling said goodbye and watched the three of them walk away. One side of Xinhua's jacket belt had slipped off. Qingshi walked behind her. In the past, he would have helped her tie it back on, but now, he pretended not to notice.
Ling Ling gazed dejectedly into the distance, where she could no longer see them. Those depressing images lingered in her mind, unable to be erased. She had witnessed their love flourish and beauty, and she had also witnessed its decline and decay.
She couldn't help but wonder, if it were her and Yu Chuanbei, would it be like this now? She didn't know why, but ever since she last met Yu Chuanbei at the "Qiyu" restaurant, she always thought of him.
Ling Ling returned to the company and saw an old-fashioned envelope on the desk. It was handwritten with the words "Ling Ling personally addressed" and the signature was actually Yu Chuanbei.
She hurried out of the office and asked Shaoyao, "Who came into my office this morning?"
"Mr. Luo Hao from the Human Resources Department left an envelope and left, instructing us not to touch your things."
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