Chapter 105 Her lover was just sick
A night breeze swept through the courtyard, swirling up a few fallen leaves and making a soft rustling sound.
Huo Yanzhi stood behind her, his tall figure appearing like a frozen sculpture in the moonlight.
He had imagined this moment countless times, in every sleepless night, and in every moment he saw her chatting happily with others.
He thought he was already prepared.
Prepare yourself for her slap, her questioning, her hysterical cries, and her fearful and disgusted gaze.
Then, just like in her past life, she would look at him with an expression that was a mixture of fear and disgust, and turn away without hesitation.
He waited for the sharp blade hanging overhead, and finally it fell.
a long time.
Under Ruan Yao's gaze, Huo Yanzhi neither denied nor defended himself, but simply nodded slightly.
They admitted it.
He waited for the stinging slap to fall on his face, waiting for her to return all the anger she had been holding back.
However, there was nothing there.
Ruan Yao simply looked at him quietly, her clear eyes devoid of any of the emotions he had anticipated.
Instead of backing away, she took a small step forward, closing the distance between them.
In those clear eyes, a complex expression swirled, a mixture of heartache and understanding.
A kind of heartache that was both unfamiliar and terrifying to him.
"Is it because... you were kidnapped when you were a child, so you don't feel safe?"
Her voice was soft, with a cautious quality, drifting gently into the cool air.
Huo Yanzhi was slightly taken aback.
Ruan Yao's tone carried a hint of confusion.
"Actually, I looked up some information on the way back."
As if afraid of hurting him, she softened her tone even more, "The higher-ups said there's a symptom called 'separation anxiety,' which is very common in people who have experienced severe trauma. They're terrified of being separated from loved ones, and they'll try all sorts of ways to confirm the other person's safety, they'll..."
She was like a clumsy veterinarian trying to soothe a wounded beast, using her newly learned, half-baked theories to try and decipher his hideous wounds.
"Huo Yanzhi, you are just sick, and it can be cured."
She looked at him, her eyes earnest and determined. "It's okay, I'll always be with you. No matter what the illness is, we'll cure it together, okay?"
At this moment, memories of her past life flashed through Ruan Yao's mind.
Those domineering behaviors she couldn't understand before, those possessivenesses that suffocated her, those actions that she once feared like a raging flood.
At this moment, a clear yet heartbreaking answer suddenly appeared.
He was just a patient who had been in the dark for too long, was wounded, and didn't know how to love properly.
In her past life, she pushed him further away, causing him panic and pain.
Now, all she wants to do is use all her strength to pull him out of that darkness, little by little.
Her lover was just sick.
Huo Yanzhi looked at her in disbelief.
She didn't scold him or blame him.
He listened as she spoke in the softest tone, the most tolerant words, finding a perfect, loving excuse for all his prejudices and darkness.
He felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by a warm hand, and that bittersweet, unfamiliar warmth almost overwhelmed him.
As if to test her resolve, Ruan Yao did not wait for his reply.
She opened her bag and took out the watch from the innermost compartment.
The back cover and the monitoring chip have been reinstalled seamlessly, gleaming with a warm luster under the moonlight.
She didn't throw it away; she had it repaired.
Ruan Yao handed the watch to him.
“If… this makes you feel at ease,” she paused, then said softly in an almost indulgent tone, “then continue. I’m fine.”
She handed the watch back to him.
Then, she stretched out her smooth, slender wrist, as if offering it as a sacrifice, revealing it to him frankly and without any defenses.
She gestured for him to put it back on for her.
Huo Yanzhi lowered his eyes, looking at her face full of trust and tolerance, and at her outstretched wrist, and his heart was shocked like never before.
An unprecedented urge to reveal all the truth swept over him.
Be honest.
Be honest about everything.
Tell her that he was reborn as well.
Tell her how much he loves her, from a very, very long time ago.
But those dark and twisted thoughts all retreated when they met her pure and innocent eyes.
His beloved Yaoyao is so wonderful in this life that he feels all his darkness has nowhere to hide.
She was so good to him that he didn't have the slightest courage to take the risk of losing her.
If she knew the truth, would she still be able to stay with him without hesitation?
Huo Yanzhi swallowed the bitterness in his throat, reached out and took the watch, but did not put it on her immediately.
It's not what you think.
He was trying to find his voice again.
He lowered his eyes, avoiding her all-encompassing gaze, and began to weave a perfect lie.
“The business district has been rather turbulent lately; some of our competitors are using dirty tricks. I’m worried… someone might use you to threaten me.”
He paused for a moment, and when he looked up again, his tone carried just the right amount of apology.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand, because I was afraid you would worry."
Ruan Yao stared at him blankly.
So... that's how it is?
The heartache and understanding on her face gradually turned into sudden realization.
Instead, there was an indescribable feeling of being moved and soft-hearted.
So that's how it is.
She and Jiang Tangtang were still lost in their own thoughts.
He was just afraid she was in danger; he was just protecting her in his own way, in a clandestine manner.
Ruan Yao took his hand and pried his fingers apart one by one, placing her wrist in his palm.
"Then you mustn't do that again next time." She complained softly, but her tone was full of sweet helplessness. "If there's anything wrong, just tell me. No matter what the trouble is, I'm willing to face it with you. I'm not afraid."
Huo Yanzhi remained silent.
He simply lowered his head and, with an almost reverent gesture, carefully and again put the watch back on her wrist.
The cool metal clasp clicked shut.
Like a gentle promise, an eternal mark.
The next second, he pulled her into a tight, forceful embrace.
The girl in his arms was so petite and soft, with a comforting fragrance.
Faced with her unreserved trust and thoughtfulness, Huo Yanzhi could hardly control himself.
He buried his face in her hair, greedily inhaling the comforting scent.
Ruan Yao's heart softened completely. She reached out and hugged his broad back, patting it gently.
After a long while, Huo Yanzhi finally released her.
He cupped her face in his hands, gently stroking her soft cheeks with his fingertips. The gloomy storm in his eyes had completely subsided, leaving only unfathomable tenderness and contentment.
“Let’s go on a trip,” he suddenly said.
"Um?"
"It's just the two of us going to Moonlight Island."
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