"Ah—" Ling Ruoke finally cried out and suddenly opened her eyes.
"Mommy, what's wrong, Mommy?" Little Zhuang Yuqi sat up abruptly, turned around and found her on another bed, and hurriedly threw off the covers and ran over.
Ling Ruoke clutched her chest, gasping for breath, drenched in cold sweat, her clothes completely soaked. Her heart pounded wildly, as if being driven by something.
Thankfully, it was just a nightmare!
"Mom, Mom, are you alright?" Zhuang Yuqi reached out and touched her face. "Mom, you're so sweaty?"
Ling Ruoke smiled, knowing it wasn't true, and her nerves slowly relaxed. "It's nothing, I had a nightmare."
"It's alright, it's alright now." Little Zhuang Yuqi reached out and patted her back, mimicking his mother's words of comfort.
Ling Ruoke chuckled and hugged the child tightly. "Okay, it's alright now. Go back to sleep, or you won't have the energy to play tomorrow."
"Mommy, I want to sleep with you!" The little boy crawled into her blanket.
Ling Ruoke didn't say anything, picked up the cup from the bedside table, took a sip of water, and lay down.
The child immediately climbed on top of her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and firmly occupied her.
Ling Ruoke paused for a moment. When Xiao Fu'an slept with her, he also liked to snuggle up to her. She would pat his back and he would fall asleep quickly.
Ling Ruoke barely slept in the latter half of the night. The dream kept making her feel that something bad was about to happen, and she felt very uneasy, so she couldn't sleep.
Ling Ruoke couldn't sleep well, so she wasn't in the mood to play. But everyone was having a good time, and she couldn't show it and spoil their fun, so she forced herself to smile.
"Sister Ximeng, are you alright? You don't look too well?" Xu An came closer and asked, looking at her face.
Ling Ruoke quickly smiled. "I'm fine, you keep Yanting company and have fun."
"Okay. If you're not feeling well, remember to tell me." With that, he ran back to Mei Yanting's side, and the two of them played happily, chasing each other.
Ling Ruoke watched from afar, feeling a pang of envy. If Qingfeng were still by her side, she would surely be just as happy. She sighed and composed herself.
"Mom, don't talk to that person, I don't like him!" Little Zhuang Yuqi was picking up pretty stones when she noticed Xu An approaching her mother and quickly ran back from a distance.
Ling Ruoke patted his head. "He's Yanting's boyfriend, how can I ignore him? But don't worry, I won't deliberately talk to him." She always felt a little uncomfortable with Xu An, so naturally she wouldn't take the initiative to get close to him.
Zhuang Yuqi finally smiled. She held up her hands, showing the treasure she had found to her. "Mommy, look, this is what I found, isn't it pretty?"
"It looks nice. Come on, I'll pick them up with you."
"Um!"
"..."
This trip included a four-day stay in Guilin. On the fourth evening, after dinner, everyone was scheduled to fly back to Y City.
On the evening of the third day, their car returned to the hotel.
Ling Ruoke and Zhuang Yuqi, who were walking at the back, got out of the car hand in hand. They were both extremely surprised to see the leaders at the hotel entrance in the distance.
Little Zhuang Yuqi let go of Ruo Ke's hand and ran over, leaping into Zhuang Yicheng's arms. "Dad, what brings you here? Did you come to play with us?"
"Yes." Zhuang Yicheng smiled.
The child immediately cheered and turned to Ling Ruoke, saying, "Mom, Dad said he's going to play with us!"
Ling Ruoke smiled faintly and nodded to Zhuang Yicheng. "Then you might be too late. We're going back tomorrow."
"It's okay. Isn't it said that even a fleeting moment of happiness is worthwhile?" Zhuang Yicheng patted the child's head, replying in a somewhat poetic tone.
Ling Ruoke couldn't help but exclaim, "You're so sour!"
"Didn't Daddy take a shower?" The little girl thought she was saying that the commander's body was sore, so she actually sniffed him like a puppy, making the two adults both laugh and cry.
"Sister Ximeng, won't you introduce her to us?" Mei Yanting pulled Xu An over, while the others just looked around and didn't come closer.
Ling Ruoke had no choice but to introduce them to each other. "This is Mr. Zhuang Yicheng, Zhuang Yuqi's father. This is my colleague Mei Yanting, and this is her boyfriend Xu An."
"Hello brother-in-law, I'm Mei Yanting!" Mei Yanting waved and greeted him loudly.
Ling Ruoke was immediately embarrassed. She was about to explain when she remembered that no one at school knew she was unmarried, which saved her a lot of trouble. So, she swallowed her words and touched her nose, feeling extremely awkward.
Zhuang Yicheng smiled but didn't explain. "Are you hungry? Let me treat you to a meal."
"Then I'll tell the tour guide and the principal." Ling Ruoke took out her phone and called both of them to explain the situation.
Guilin is famous for its beer-braised duck, beer-braised fish, and stuffed snails. Little Zhuang Yuqi had already researched these online. So, the five of them headed straight for a restaurant.
During the meal, Zhuang Yicheng carefully served food to the two people, one adult and one child.
"Sister Ximeng, your husband is so thoughtful, you're so lucky!" Seeing Mei Yanting's eyes filled with burning jealousy, Xu An hurriedly began to fawn over her as well.
Mei Yanting kept calling him "brother-in-law," and Ling Ruoke's face never cooled down. Sometimes, she really wanted to gag her with a wad of cloth; she was being far too eager.
The meal was lively and enjoyable. The head of the village was very generous, ordering a table full of delicious dishes, and everyone ate until their mouths were greasy. When they finally put down their chopsticks, they were all so full they could barely move.
After the meal, Zhuang Yicheng let Zhuang Yuqi go back with Mei Yanting and the others, while he and Ruoke planned to take a walk along the Li River.
The ambiguous look in Mei Yanting's eyes as she left, and the hopeful glint in Zhuang Yuqi's eyes, made Ling Ruoke blush with embarrassment.
"Why do you always blush so easily? Come on, let's go for a walk by the river." Zhuang Yicheng held out his hand.
Ling Ruoke lowered her head and pretended not to see him, simply walking beside him. Her heart was too small; once it held Qingfeng, there was no room left for anyone else.
Zhuang Yicheng sighed inwardly and put his hands in his pockets.
The two walked side by side, slowly strolling down the long street until they reached the banks of the Li River. The sky was already darkening, creating a hazy, romantic atmosphere.
The two of them walked in silence, barely speaking. The atmosphere was fairly warm, but their feelings were quite different.
“Mr. Zhuang…” Ling Ruoke remained silent for a long time before finally stopping and hesitatingly speaking.
Zhuang Yicheng stopped and looked down at her gently, raising a slight eyebrow. "Hmm?"
Ling Ruoke took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes. "Mr. Zhuang, you... I..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't know how to say them.
"Are you trying to tell me again that your heart is too full, that there's no room for me?" Zhuang Yicheng said with a wry smile, speaking for her. Putting aside love or not, he genuinely felt this girl was suitable for a life together. She had a gentle temperament, and he had a good one too; she always gave off a sense of homey warmth, which was exactly what he needed…
Hearing him say those words, Ling Ruoke felt a little ungrateful, but she still explained, "I just don't want you to waste your time. You're a good man, and you shouldn't let me hold you back and cause you to miss out on a good girl who's right for you."
"Ruo Ke, you need to know that if I give up on you, we may never see each other again. Do you really want me to give up on a man you can never be with again in this lifetime?" Her stubbornness was so strong that it left people feeling helpless, but it was precisely this stubbornness that showed her dedication and commitment to her feelings.
Ling Ruoke's heart sank. She opened her mouth slightly and slowly exhaled. She knew that if Zhuang Yicheng really gave up pursuing her, then both he and Zhuang Yuqi would leave her life. From then on, she would truly be all alone.
But can she really forget Qingfeng and accept him? She can't forget Qingfeng, so how can she keep dragging him along? Even if she can accept him, how can she be worthy of his kindness if she still has Qingfeng in her heart?
Ling Ruoke slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened them again, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I know. But I'm really not worth your time anymore, so..."
Zhuang Yicheng nodded knowingly. Having seen countless people, he naturally understood how persistent she was. No matter how much time had passed, Huo Qingfeng likely still held the most important place in her heart. So, was he willing to take a backseat? He wasn't!
"Okay. I'll take him away tomorrow. As for his things, I'll give you the address, and you can mail them to him for me. If possible, before we leave Guilin, if you change your mind, don't forget to let me know. I respect your decision, but I still hope you can think it over carefully. We're a good match." He was too busy and didn't have time to slowly break down the high wall in her heart, a wall she herself had erected.
Ling Ruoke stared at him in astonishment, not expecting him to be so straightforward.
"You were caught off guard, weren't you? If possible, no one in this world will wait for anyone forever. If you miss your chance, you may never have another chance in this lifetime. Therefore, you must be cautious in every step of your life."
Ling Ruoke remained silent. She knew Zhuang Yicheng was right. But in this world, there are always some people who aren't so smart, who stubbornly persist even if it leads to a bad outcome. And she, perhaps, was one of them.
“I’m the kind of person who cuts ties completely when I’m done. I’ll even remove the people I assigned to protect you. From now on, you’ll be someone who has nothing to do with me. Whatever happens to you in the future, you’ll have to face it yourself. Do you really want this?” He was always a decisive person, never dragging things out or getting entangled in complicated relationships.
After a long silence, Ling Ruoke spoke. "Let's go back."
"Okay." He understood that this was her answer.
The two walked back to the hotel in silence. It was a long walk, yet they remained silent the entire time. The atmosphere was tinged with a faint sadness.
Upon arriving at the hotel, before the two parted ways and returned to their respective rooms, Ling Ruoke called out to Zhuang Yicheng.
“Mr. Zhuang, you don’t love me. You just think I’m suitable to spend your life with. But I believe that one day, there will be someone who makes you lose your reason and can’t resist. I am not that person for you, and you are not that person for me, so we are destined to miss each other.”
Without waiting for his reply, she nodded, turned around, and quickly left.
Yes, Zhuang Yicheng did not love her.
Zhuang Yicheng watched her retreating figure, thinking to himself: Is this why you rejected me? Is this how you see me?
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, but still resolutely walked towards his room. In this complex society, no one is the strongest; everyone has weaknesses. Your enemies will always be watching your weakness closely, waiting for an opportunity to destroy you.
I hope that after erasing all traces of myself from your life, I can protect you completely.
...
Ling Ruoke didn't sleep a wink all night. Zhuang Yuqi, however, slept soundly in her arms, even snoring.
Ling Ruoke hugged him, knowing she might never see this adorable child again. After tomorrow, they would have no connection whatsoever. A dull ache rose in her chest. It seemed everyone around her was leaving one by one, until she was left all alone.
The old folks often say that she is a cursed lone star. Perhaps she is such a lone star, destined to be alone for life.
On the last day, Ling Ruoke and Zhuang Yuqi had a wild time. Their happy laughter could be heard everywhere.
Back at the hotel, after showering and preparing for dinner, Zhuang Yicheng made an excuse to take the mother and son out to eat and took Zhuang Yuqi away first.
"Mom, you have to hurry!" Zhuang Yuqi turned around and urged.
Ling Ruoke smiled, her lips pressed together, watching them slowly walk away. Finally, as they disappeared from sight, tears welled up in her eyes. She closed her eyes, clenching her fists tightly, trying to control her emotions. But she couldn't stop her body from trembling slightly, and tears kept seeping from her eyes. Every separation was excruciatingly painful.
Goodbye, Zhuang Yuqi.
Perhaps, we will never see each other again in this lifetime.
...
I'll be rejoining the team soon, and I'll be departing for country X tonight.
Huo Qingfeng sat in front of the computer, staring blankly at the desktop for a while, then suddenly clicked on drive E. It mainly contained photos; he figured he could put them into folders one by one.
I opened each folder one by one, scanning through each photo. Her smile was radiant; I could almost hear her cheerful voice, as if it were just yesterday.
Suddenly, Huo Qingfeng noticed that inside the "Amusement Park" folder, there was another folder. It still had the same filename as the one copied from the camera, without being renamed.
He paused for a moment, then clicked on it. The photos mainly featured Xiao Fu'an and another child, a child he recognized as Ruo Ke's student. When he saw the man in one of the photos, his eyes widened in shock. Wasn't that Zhuang Yicheng?
He quickly scanned the photos and found that only a few featured Zhuang Yicheng. It was obvious that the child was Zhuang Yicheng's son. But when did Ruoke become so familiar with the students' parents?
Huo Qingfeng took out his phone and immediately dialed Tan Peishi's number. "Tan Peishi, I saw some photos of an amusement park on Ruoke's computer. Ruoke, Fu'an, you, one of Ruoke's students, and a man—what's going on?"
"That man is the student's father. It was the child's birthday that day, and he really liked Ruoke, so he wanted her to play with him all day. I think the child wants Ruoke to be his mother. And that man also has designs on Ruoke!"
"I understand." He hung up the phone before he finished speaking.
Tan Peishi, on the other end of the line, stared blankly at the phone for a long time. Confused, she put down her phone, crawled back to her husband's side, and kept muttering something strange.
Huo Qingfeng frowned slightly as he looked at the photo on the screen. Suddenly, an idea flashed into his mind. He quickly made a phone call and instructed them to investigate.
If Ruoke isn't in Cang Weiwo's hands, then has Zhuang Yicheng taken her away? Could it be that he's imprisoned Ruoke?
But he still hadn't received the investigation results by the time he set off. And communication equipment wasn't allowed on missions. So he gritted his teeth and turned off his phone.
Just minutes after he turned off his phone, the other end of the line called, only to receive a message that his phone was already switched off.
Fate plays tricks, and there are always many missed opportunities we can't help. Looking back years later, we always feel a deep resentment!
...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com