Chapter 115 We'll Never Be Apart...
Ji Zhi Qiu's mind was a jumbled mess, overflowing with thoughts. He drifted back to the villa like a lost soul, grabbed a can of ice-cold beer, and found a quiet corner to sort out his ideas.
There was nothing between him and Lu Yu Nian that couldn't be resolved through communication. He had originally planned to have a good talk with Lu Yu Nian, but now he realized there was no need for that.
He believed in Lu Yu Nian's character. In other words, if Lu Yu Nian woke up one day to find that he had betrayed him and had a white moonlight, his first reaction would probably be to find a basin of water and forcibly drown himself.
Even if the person Lu Yu Nian was with wasn't him, Lu Yu Nian would probably have reacted the same way, because that's just his character; he has extremely high moral standards for himself and would never do such a thing on his own.
In retrospect, it wasn't a misunderstanding at all; he was just an idiot.
Ji Zhi Qiu has lost memories of those four years, but she has read the settings in the book.
This part of the plot serves as background information and is mentioned only briefly, but several adjectives are used to describe his state at the time: "heartbroken" and "despairing of life."
He wouldn't be like a broken white flower, tears streaming down his face, stubbornly biting his lip to maintain his last shred of dignity, turning and leaving, but then going back home and biting the corner of his blanket, crying all night...
Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned by the imagery and rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.
That's terrifying.
How could he do such a thing?
Moreover, he did more than one such stupid thing. He unilaterally believed other people's lies, took the initiative to leave Lu Yu Nian, and inexplicably broke off his relationship with his best friend Jiang Ming Chuan. He went far away, changed his name, and gave birth to and raised Yan Yan alone. For some reason, he also adopted two other villainous children. However, he did not fulfill his responsibilities as a father. He favored his own biological son, spoiled Ji Yan Yan into a brat, and made the two villainous children become more and more extreme.
This turned into a whirlpool that dragged him in. Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't face it, so he buried his head in his knees, desperately trying to calm himself down.
Everyone has a past they'd rather forget; his past was just particularly unpleasant, that's normal...
What a load of rubbish!
All the blood in my body rushed to my head, and my face turned red at a visible speed. I wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Unfortunately, the circumstances didn't allow it, so Ji Zhi Qiu could only bury her face in her hands. Overwhelmed with shame, her eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't help but make a crying face.
He screamed silently inside, then banged his head against the wall to vent his frustration before calming down a little.
He took a few deep breaths, trying to focus his thoughts on the important matter at hand.
He has cleared up his misunderstanding of Lu Yu Nian back then, but what about Lu Yu Nian's misunderstanding of him?
He suddenly remembered his online chat history with Lu Yunian before they officially met.
Lu Yu Nian seemed to have said something like... he suspected he had been cuckolded.
Ji Zhi Qiu's nerves tensed instantly. She straightened her back, and instead of curling up in shame, she stretched out as if she had sprung up.
Wait, did he cheat on me?
Who did you tell? Why didn't you inform him about something so important?
Shocked, Ji Zhi Qiu's thoughts wandered as he continued to recall his conversation with Lu Yu Nian.
Before their marriage, Lu Yu Nian discovered that he was meeting with other people. She wanted to talk to him and let him make his own choice.
Lu Yu Nian didn't tell him the specific details, but it turned out that there was a big misunderstanding between the two of them, and he unilaterally abandoned Lu Yu Nian and left.
Ji Zhi Qiu's lips twitched slightly as he looked at the wall in the distance. It held a strange attraction for him, and he felt an urge to crash into it.
Not only that, Lu Yu Nian was also reflecting on himself when he was chatting with him, feeling that he had made a mistake in the past and had pushed him too hard.
He was unaware that the person being discussed was himself, and he was still brazenly giving his scathing comments:
Lu Yu Nian is a master of love, snatching the green hat and putting it on his own head.
He also gave Lu Yu Nian a long lecture, complaining about the cheating scumbag and gloating that the cheating scumbag was having a bad time.
After all that, he was actually cursing himself.
Ji Zhi Qiu never expected that the boomerang from back then would now hit him right in the chest, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
This is really bad.
Four years ago, how many stupid things did he do?
Ji Zhi Qiu suddenly learned so much inside information and had to face so much unbearable past. Her brain completely shut down, and she wanted to find a place to hibernate.
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it. He had lost his memory, and although the past four years had been difficult, he had not suffered any inner torment. But Lu Yu Nian was bearing the painful memories all by himself.
In Lu Yu Nian's eyes, he is still the person who abandoned her and left her to marry someone else.
He broke Lu Yu Nian's heart, but Lu Yu Nian kept reflecting on himself, realizing that he had pushed him too hard. Four years later, he still chose to get close to him, giving his heart to him without reservation, trusting him so much that even with that past, he would never stab him in the heart again.
Ji Zhi Qiu suddenly felt an impulse and urged him to go find Lu Yu Nian. No matter what happened back then, he had to give Lu Yu Nian an explanation.
Just as Ji Zhi Qiu stood up, she caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye. Lu Yu Nian had returned at some point, his breathing disordered, his chest rising and falling slightly. His usual gentle and refined demeanor had vanished, and his dark eyes were fixed on something, revealing an undisguised panic in them.
Ji Zhi Qiu paused for a few seconds, clearly capturing the pain in Lu Yu Nian's expression as he faced loss.
lose?
Him?
Ji Zhi Qiu subconsciously looked down at himself. He was holding a can of beer, as if he was drowning his sorrows in alcohol. He had just rubbed his face vigorously. Although there was no mirror, he could imagine how disheveled he looked. His eyes were red, as if he had just had a good cry. Moreover, the quiet corner he had found seemed to be on the second-floor balcony.
Lu Yu Nian wouldn't suspect he was going to jump off the building, would he...?
Ji Zhi Qiu quickly put down his beer, moved to the furthest spot from the balcony, raised his hands, smiled sheepishly, and assured her, "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."
As he spoke, Lu Yu Nian, like a puppet brought back to life, finally blinked.
The movement was so fast that Ji Zhi Qiu only felt a blur before his eyes. The next moment, Lu Yunian quickly walked up to him, pulled him into his arms, and hugged him tightly.
Lu Yu Nian used to be very gentle, but this time her arms were like iron clamps tightly gripping him, and she kept exerting force. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and neither painful memories nor the cruel passage of time could separate them.
Ji Zhi Qiu was held tightly, and his waist ached a little, but he did not struggle. Instead, he reached out and hugged Lu Yu Nian's neck tightly, buried his face in the crook of his neck, and took a deep breath.
The scent emanating from Lu Yu Nian didn't come from any particular perfume, but it made him feel warm and inexplicably at ease, as if a wandering soul had finally found its home.
They hugged for an unknown amount of time until their rapid heartbeats gradually calmed down and returned to a unified rhythm, at which point Lu Yu Nian finally let go of him.
But her hand didn't leave his waist, her dark eyes fixed on Ji Zhi Qiu. "I just received the news. What my great-aunt said is all false. I don't understand why she would do this. I don't have any so-called engagement or white moonlight."
Ji Zhi Qiu squeezed his hand reassuringly and intertwined her fingers with his. "I know. Although I was a little shocked, I never believed that you were that kind of person. And now the misunderstanding has been completely cleared up."
Lu Yu Nian opened his mouth, wanting to explain again, but Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and shook his head, "It really doesn't matter anymore, I believe you wouldn't do such a thing."
He paused, thinking of what happened four years ago, "Then...do you believe I would do such a thing?"
Lu Yu Nian shook his head. Although he didn't know if Ji Zhi Qiu had regained her memories, he knew that Ji Zhi Qiu had been forced to come into contact with some hidden events from four years ago. He was silent for a few seconds before saying, "You became very strange before, but I don't believe you would do such a thing."
Ji Zhi Qiu knew how stupid he had been four years ago and how little he trusted her, so she nervously held her breath. "So, who was it that made me leave you four years ago?"
Lu Yu Nian's attitude became somewhat ambiguous. She gave him a deep look, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Ji Zhi Qiu guessed that the truth he was about to face was extremely cruel, and anxiously shook Lu Yu Nian's arm, "I need to know, no matter what, I can bear it."
Lu Yu-nian then spoke with difficulty: "Jiang Ming-chuan."
Ji Zhi Qiu had thought about this question before, but he couldn't find a suitable candidate and couldn't figure out the key to it. He never expected that the name he heard would be the most unexpected one.
River? bright? Sichuan? !
How is this possible?!
Ji Zhi Qiu pointed to her nose, her lips twitching. "Me, with him?"
Lu Yu Nian sensed Ji Zhi Qiu's emotional distress and quickly comforted him, "I misunderstood back then. I only saw you meet with him and then you admitted it yourself..."
Ji Zhi Qiu had already guessed, and said in a hoarse voice, "I've fallen in love with him, and we're together?"
Lu Yu Nian felt sorry for him and didn't nod, but her attitude said it all.
Ji Zhi Qiu's vision went black, and he wished he could just faint. Even fainting would be a pity for him, but unfortunately, he could only stand there, conscious, facing this cruel reality.
It matches up.
Everything fits together.
He really is a fragile, innocent flower.
After learning that Lu Yu Nian had someone else in his heart, he was secretly heartbroken. In order to save face, he lied and said that he had also changed his mind. He then expanded the scope of this melodramatic drama and dragged the innocent Jiang Ming Chuan into it. Because he was afraid to face him afterward, he mysteriously disappeared for four whole years.
After such an incident, he still greeted Jiang Mingchuan casually when they met again. Looking back now, he was incredibly shameless.
Jiang Mingchuan is indeed his good brother; he's actually willing to talk to him.
Ji Zhi Qiu suddenly realized something, grabbed Lu Yu Nian's sleeve, looked at him nervously, and was eager to explain, afraid that Lu Yu Nian would be immersed in pain again.
Lu Yu Nian slowly shook his head, "It's okay, I've known for a long time that this is a misunderstanding. You and him are just good friends."
Ji Zhi Qiu asked, "When did you find out?"
“That time we were filming a variety show abroad, you saw Jiang Mingchuan and ran straight over to him.”
Ji Zhi Qiu's heart skipped a beat, as if her temples had been struck hard, and her thoughts were shattered into pieces. "So the misunderstanding wasn't cleared up back then, and in your heart, I abandoned you for someone else again?"
Lu Yu Nian did think that way at the time, but he didn't want the same pain to torment both of them, so he pulled Ji Zhi Qiu into his arms and patted his back like he was comforting a child, "It's okay, it's all in the past."
Ji Zhi Qiu sniffed. "I don't remember any of these things. I don't know why I suddenly changed and did so many foolish things. I'm sorry."
Lu Yunian was stunned for a few seconds after hearing Ji Zhi Qiu's apology.
He unilaterally concealed what had happened over the past four years, deliberately getting close with ulterior motives, thinking that Ji Zhi Qiu would feel fooled and become angry after learning the truth... He even considered the worst possibility that Ji Zhi Qiu would leave him again.
Unexpectedly, things turned out to be completely different from what he had imagined.
Ji Zhi Qiu felt sorry and also felt sorry for him for bearing the burden of the response alone all these years.
He was no different. Ji Zhi Qiu might feel embarrassed and ashamed about the foolish things he had done in the past, but in his eyes, his lover was like someone who had contracted a strange disease. He should stay by Ji Zhi Qiu's side and help him recover slowly. However, reality forced Ji Zhi Qiu to leave alone and raise three children. He must have experienced many setbacks in the past four years.
Lu Yunian felt extremely guilty whenever he thought about it, and he also felt sorry for Ji Zhi Qiu.
The highest form of love is tenderness.
The past four years have been a cruel joke of fate, a forcibly created chasm between them, but they have built a bridge of love and come back to each other.
Lu Yunian kissed Ji Zhi Qiu's hair gently, as if it were a precious treasure. "The misunderstanding has been cleared up. Let's not talk about the past anymore, okay?"
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded slightly, her eyes flickered twice, and then she mustered up her courage to look at Lu Yu Nian, her ear tips turning red involuntarily.
"Could you give me a few more days to regroup?"
...
Ji Zhi Qiu was constantly haunted by the shadow of "Broken Little White Flower," and in the following days, she seemed to have developed "Lu Yu Nian Syndrome," and would fall ill if she was even slightly away from Lu Yu Nian.
He followed Lu Yu Nian like a little tail, sticking close to him whenever possible. But he was too ashamed to look Lu Yu Nian in the eye, and his ears would turn red every time they did.
His condition was so obvious that even the three little ones noticed it.
Ji Zishen is already an adult, while Ji Sicheng is a little genius. The two of them need to maintain their personas, so they are too embarrassed to ask directly. Instead, they secretly encourage Ji Yanyan.
Ji Yanyan blinked and asked innocently, "How did Daddy become like this?"
Lu Yunian smiled and ruffled his hair. "Because of some things that happened, your father is shy and easily embarrassed."
Ji Yanyan: !!!
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng: !!!
The three minor villains stood frozen in place, mouths agape, eyes glazed over, staring blankly ahead, as if something about their values had gone awry.
I'm shy...
Is this referring to their father, whose skin is as thick as a city wall?
Lu Yu Nian had left sometime earlier. It took the three minor villains a while to come to their senses and exchange a strained glance.
The three glutinous rice balls huddled together, heads touching, whispering to each other.
"I just watched an animated film. Did a monster take over Dad's body?"
"No, he just fell in love."
"Is the power of love really that great?"
"According to scientific research, falling in love can lower your IQ. I suggest you try harder to become smarter so that you can still maintain a normal level after your IQ drops."
Ji Yanyan knew her brother was talking to her, and pouted, "Yanyan is very smart, okay? And brothers will fall in love too."
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.
Ji Yanyan didn't believe it. He took out his notebook and pen from his pocket. Since he couldn't find a table of suitable height, he simply laid the notebook flat on the ground, stuck his butt out high, and wrote something in the notebook with the pen.
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng both noticed his actions and asked in unison, "What are you doing?"
Ji Yanyan was very proud of himself. If he had a little tail, it would be wagging back and forth. "I'm going to write down what you all said. When you start dating, I'll take out this little notebook and slap you in the face. Your aunties will say it's your embarrassing history!"
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng, with the dignity of minor villains, absolutely did not believe they would do something that would contradict themselves. They snorted coldly and walked away in silence.
After Ji Zhi Qiu finished writing, she realized that her two older brothers were missing. She hurriedly got up from the ground and stood on tiptoe to search for them.
Ji Zishen peeked out from around the corner and waved to him.
Ji Yanyan's eyes lit up, and she immediately ran over, "Where are you going? Don't leave Yanyan alone."
"Go find Dad." Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng both looked like they were about to abandon him, but they both slowed down their pace.
Ji Yanyan ran over quickly, but because she couldn't control her momentum, she bumped into her two older brothers.
As it turns out, the glutinous rice balls were quite elastic; the three villainous little devils wobbled a couple of times before regaining their balance.
Ji Sicheng was instantly exasperated and couldn't help but adopt the older brother's tone, "Can't you walk properly? You're three years old and still wobbling around like that."
Ji Yanyan retorted confidently, hands on her hips, "That's right, I'm only three years old. My biggest task is to eat properly. It's only natural that I wobble when I walk!"
Ji Sicheng seemed to see a smaller version of Ji Zhi Qiu in Ji Yan Yan. Their skin was indeed as thick as a city wall. Nothing could truly defeat them except love.
The three little villains bicker and fight. Ji Sicheng is arrogant and taciturn, but he always has endless things to say to his younger brother Ji Yanyan. At such a young age, he already has the aura of a head teacher.
Although Ji Zishen really wanted to chime in, he was an adult and couldn't join in such a childish conversation, so he could only nod frequently. Sometimes, when Ji Sicheng spoke his mind, he would even give him an appreciative look.
The three villainous kids, after some bickering and fighting, finally found Ji Zhi Qiu.
Ji Zhi Qiu had already heard their voices and was looking at them with a smile.
Ji Yanyan is a doting father. When she saw Ji Zhi Qiu, her eyes lit up and she excitedly jumped into his arms. The other two children glanced at him and then stood reservedly on either side of Ji Zhi Qiu.
Ji Zhi Qiu saw through them. Both of them had a villainous image to maintain and wouldn't get close to him like Ji Yan Yan did, but they never resisted whenever he took the initiative to approach them.
He chuckled softly and opened his arms to hug the two babies.
Sensing Ji Zhi Qiu's aura, the two little villains, though their faces were stern, felt inexplicably at ease, letting their childish father act as he pleased.
As usual, the three kids huddled together with Ji Zhi Qiu, chatting away.
Ji Yanyan is still the best at livening up the atmosphere, and she has endless things to say.
"Dad, I went to kindergarten today. Everyone liked me, but they all called me Yan Yan, not Big Brother."
Ji Sicheng rolled his eyes without any politeness. "You're all the same age, why should they call you 'big brother'?"
“It’s different,” Ji Yanyan said, not knowing how to describe it, and her little hands twitched anxiously. “I can be anyone’s older brother… but not just anyone can be my younger brother. I need to choose carefully.”
Just as Ji Sicheng was about to continue complaining, Ji Yanyan's thoughts wandered, and she changed the subject again, "Dad, how about we go out to play another day? I want to ride the Ferris wheel."
Ji Zhi Qiu teased him on purpose, crossing his arms and thinking for a long time, "If your two older brothers agree, then I'll take you there."
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng immediately had a bad feeling. Before they could run away, Ji Yanyan pounced on them, clinging to them, "Big brother, second brother, have you ever ridden a Ferris wheel? It's super fun! Come with us!"
"Okay, but don't smear your saliva on me!"
"Speak your mind, don't resort to violence."
Ji Yanyan straightened up contentedly and looked at Ji Zhiqi, "Should we take Dad Lu with us?"
Ji Zhi Qiu smiled at the three children, "Do you want to take him with you?"
Without a second thought, the three children immediately nodded; they had truly accepted Lu Yu Nian.
Ji Zhi Qiu's smile deepened. He suddenly broke free from the vortex. Neither the broken little white flower nor the foolish things he had done mattered anymore.
If he hadn't left Lu Yu Nian back then, he might not have met the two villainous kids, and he wouldn't have had the chance to become their father.
Although they were not related by blood, every moment he shared with Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng was a precious memory and a treasure for his entire life.
Misfortune and fortune are intertwined; nothing in this world is perfect. Since Lu Yu Nian has already let go, why should he lose sight of the bigger picture, cling to the past, and neglect the present and future?
Fate always has the best arrangements; what was lost in the past will be made up for in the future. After all, the one thing they have in abundance is time.
Ji Zhi Qiu felt herself calm down again, chuckled softly, and joined the conversation.
"If I go this year, can I go again next year?"
"Of course."
Will my brothers stay with me too?
"If I don't spend time with you, who else can I spend time with?"
"Will Mr. Lu come with me? He seems very busy with work."
"Yes, no matter how busy I am at work, nothing is more important than my family."
Are we family?
"The five of us are a family."
"No, it's not just the five of us, but also Maomao and Uncle Jiang Mingchuan. They're all family, right?"
"Are you stupid? This can only be considered a friend and a pet."
“They are family, and they will always be by Yan Yan’s side.”
"We will never be apart."
"..."
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