Lan Jingtang paused, his cold voice unusually firm in the darkness: "More than getting her, I hope she can be truly happy. Gu Chuzhi, you made her cry, didn't you see? She's sad."
Unbeknownst to her, Lan Jingtang had come to understand herself better than An Yuan'er herself.
He had long seen through the girl's feigned strength, and he knew that all her resilience and perseverance were guided by a single thread.
If Yi Chenli were to return, Lan Jingtang would not even have the chance to stay by her side. However, if only that person could truly bring the girl smiles and happiness, Lan Jingtang would hope even more than An Yuan'er that that person would return alive.
Seeing her happy was enough for him.
Lan Jingtang carried the girl away, and in the darkness, Gu Chuzhi's mocking laughter rang out: "Heh, Lan Jingtang, you are indeed 'great,' but I am determined to have her, no matter what means I have to use, before I will stop."
"This woman can only writhe and submit to my pleasure. If I cannot have her, then I will destroy her."
"Ha ha ha ha."
*
After returning home, An Yuan'er had a nightmare all night.
No matter what Lan Jingtang did, he couldn't wake the unconscious An Yuan'er.
All that could be heard was the girl's fearful murmur: "Gu Chuzhi, no. No, I hate him."
"He plotted to harm Ali. It's all my fault. I dragged Ali into this mess." The girl then fell into deep self-blame.
......
Nightmares are uncontrollable, and Lan Jingtang overheard the little secret intermittently.
It's probably something like a past life... or this life...
Lan Jingtang was intelligent and guessed most of it.
When An Yuan'er woke up the next day, the first person she saw when she opened her eyes was Lan Jingtang, who was guarding her bedside.
A faint sense of loss lingered in her heart. She realized that Ali hadn't appeared, and the person who had rescued her from Gu Chuzhi yesterday was Lan Jingtang.
It's only been about two years, but Ali clearly said it would take at least five years.
An Yuan'er comforted herself, saying that the time hadn't come yet.
Amidst his wandering thoughts, Lan Jingtang, who had been resting against the bedside, also woke up. His expression was gentle: "Are you feeling any better? I'm sorry, I wish I had come earlier."
An Yuan'er shook her head: "It has nothing to do with you. He has been eyeing me for a long time and will come knocking on my door sooner or later. If not today, then tomorrow. There's no escaping it."
Lan Jingtang understood somewhat, pondered for a moment, and then patted An Yuan'er's little head reassuringly.
"Touch me. Don't be afraid."
Lan Jingtang performed the action with utmost naturalness. An Yuan'er felt a lump in her throat, because this gesture was a sweet little act she shared with Ali, a tacit understanding she and Yi Chenli once shared.
Lan Jingtang said earnestly, "Yuan'er, if you miss him, you can treat me as him while he's not around."
Lan Jingtang is a proud man, but what kind of inner struggle did he go through to willingly become a substitute for another man?
This is probably what love without expecting anything in return.
He loves her, and all she needs to do is be happy.
An Yuan'er shook her head, crying, "No, this isn't fair to you, it's too unfair. Lan Jingtang, you are truly an exceptionally outstanding person..."
Lan Jingtang bluntly said, "If you can't make Yuan'er happy, it means you're not good enough."
The girl's tears welled up again: "It's not like that, really."
Lan Jingtang wiped away An Yuan'er's tears and tentatively asked, "Yuan'er once said that she wanted to be my best friend. Now, may I, in the name of friendship, ask for a secret that Yuan'er has kept in her heart for a long time?"
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