As night fell, a solitary grave in the suburbs appeared particularly desolate in the dim light of a flashlight. Gu Qingyan stood blankly before the grave, his figure swaying in the cold wind, as if he might collapse at any moment. He held the box he had snatched back from Gu Ningning; inside were Xiao Wanqing's belongings, each one carefully wiped clean by him.
However, the dress was filthy from being stepped on by Gu Ningning, so Gu Qingyan had to choose another dress that Xiao Wanqing liked from the wardrobe as a replacement.
The bodyguard stood behind him, watching Gu Qingyan's back. He recalled the scene of Gu Qingyan frantically searching for photos in the room just now, and the despair and pain he felt shocked.
But he really didn't understand why Gu Qingyan was so deeply in love with Xiao Wanqing.
"Mr. Gu, are you really going to bury Miss Xiao's belongings here?" Seeing that he remained standing there motionless, the bodyguard put down the shovel and couldn't help but ask.
Gu Qingyan didn't answer, but silently walked forward, bent down and pulled away all the weeds that were a meter high in front of the lonely grave. His movements were gentle and slow, each weed seemed like a thorn in his heart, and he pulled them out one by one until the words on the tombstone were revealed.
The bodyguard was about to ask again, but when he saw the first "Xiao" character on the tombstone, he immediately swallowed his words. He instantly understood that this was the grave of Xiao Wanqing's brother.
“Wanqing won’t feel lonely here. She can talk to her brother, and she won’t be afraid with him by her side.” Gu Qingyan’s voice was very soft, as if he were answering, but it was more like talking to himself. He tilted his head back and tried hard to hold back his tears, but the tear stains at the corners of his eyes betrayed his inner pain.
"Give me the shovel," Gu Qingyan said, turning around.
"Mr. Gu, let me do this rough work," the bodyguard sighed.
“Wanqing doesn’t like strangers touching her things, and I don’t want her to be unhappy in any way.” Gu Qingyan shook his head, insisting on doing it himself.
The bodyguard picked up the shovel and then stood silently to the side watching Gu Qingyan dig a hole to bury the box.
The moonlight, like water, gently bathed Gu Qingyan. He bent over, digging a hole with his shovel again and again, each swing accompanied by heavy breathing, as if venting his inner pain and sorrow.
After an unknown amount of time, Gu Qingyan stopped and gasped for breath.
The bodyguard handed him a bottle of mineral water, which Gu Qingyan took and drank in one gulp.
The bodyguard noticed that Gu Qingyan's hands were scraped raw, and blood seeped from the wounds, staining the wooden handle of the shovel red.
"Mr. Gu, your hand is injured." The bodyguard frowned. "I'll go to the car to get you some gauze."
"No need." Gu Qingyan glanced down, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.
After finishing his water, Gu Qingyan immediately started digging again.
Night fell, and the cold wind howled through the cemetery. The bodyguards looked at the dark wilderness and couldn't help but feel a little scared, but Gu Qingyan seemed to feel nothing and continued to dig shovel by shovel.
When the first rays of sunlight fell on Gu Qingyan, he finally stopped. He was so tired he could barely stand, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He looked at the hole he had dug, then gently opened the box, took out Xiao Wanqing's photo, looked at it, and then gently hugged it to his arms for a final farewell.
After a long while, he kissed the photo reluctantly and whispered, "Wanqing, goodbye."
After closing the box, Gu Qingyan placed it inside a transparent box.
The bodyguard stepped forward and handed over a clean cloth. Gu Qingyan took the cloth and carefully wiped away the dirt and bloodstains that had just fallen onto the box. His movements were gentle and meticulous, as if he were handling an extremely precious treasure.
Then, the transparent box was closed.
"Mr. Gu, please go and rest in your car," the bodyguard said. "Leave this to me."
Gu Qingyan shook his head. "No, I want to bury it myself." His voice was weak, but it was full of determination and persistence.
Gu Qingyan knelt down, carefully scooping up handfuls of soil to cover the box. Each handful seemed to carry with it his deep longing for Xiao Wanqing and his endless sorrow. His fingers trembled, soil slipping through his fingers, and his tears dripped onto the damp earth. His movements grew slower and slower, as if each covering was tearing his heart apart.
His eyes were vacant, as if all his vitality had dissipated with Xiao Wanqing's departure.
When the last handful of soil was placed on the box, Gu Qingyan could no longer control her emotions and threw herself onto the soil, wailing loudly.
The capital city.
Since returning from the mountaintop, Shen Zhi Qiu seems to have become a completely different person.
She gets up, eats, and takes care of her child normally every day, just like before Lu Jia's accident. But at night, she locks herself in the glass room in the garden to write, and during this time she doesn't let anyone disturb her and just stays by herself.
Although Rong Mo was very anxious, he also felt that this might be a way for her to vent, so he didn't disturb her and let her calm down on her own.
That night, after the children had fallen asleep, Zhou Xiaoran quietly went downstairs and waited for Shen Zhiqiu in the living room.
Shen Zhi Qiu, carrying her laptop, walked in and was taken aback when she saw Zhou Xiao Ran waiting for her, with two wine glasses and several bottles of wine on the table. She walked over and asked, "What's wrong, Xiao Ran?"
"I'd like to have a drink with you. It's been so long since we've had a drink and a chat together," Zhou Xiaoran said, trying to sound casual.
Shen Zhi Qiu pulled out a chair and sat down. Zhou Xiao Ran immediately poured her a drink and handed it to her.
Shen Zhi Qiu didn't hesitate and drank it all in one gulp, forcing out a smile. "Xiao Ran, you don't need to comfort me."
"I'm not trying to comfort you. I know nothing I say will help. I just wanted to have a drink with you." Zhou Xiaoran shook her head and downed her drink.
Shen Zhi Qiu's heart tightened, and she said in a low voice, "I'm sorry for making you all worry lately. But I know that being depressed all the time is meaningless and irresponsible to those around me."
She poured herself a glass of wine and muttered to herself, "I've already prayed to the gods. I believe Lu Jia will be safe and sound, but we haven't found him yet. One day, he will definitely come back."
Zhou Xiaoran frowned slightly, feeling a pang of heartache, but she said nothing and simply drank with Shen Zhi Qiu.
After a few rounds of drinks, Shen Zhi Qiu was a little tipsy. She picked up her glass and said self-deprecatingly, "I feel so guilty that I didn't tell Lu Jia how I felt when he was still alive. That's my biggest regret."
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