Chapter 410 Consolation
Even Nan Zhiyi, who was good at comforting people, was speechless for a moment.
Any lighthearted advice would seem pale and powerless at this moment.
She was filled with regret. To spend a long life bound to someone you don't love, unless you completely let go and come to terms with it, the torment is something you can't truly understand for others.
Having Gu Xiao and love is naturally extremely lucky and wonderful.
But if it weren't for that... would life lose all its color and value?
Love may be the warmest light illuminating life, but it shouldn't be everything.
After a moment of silence, Nan Zhiyi reached out and gently placed her hand on Li Xiaoxuan's slightly cool arm.
"We can't change what has already happened. Thinking too much about the 'past' only adds to our suffering. But I want to say that love, or rather, romantic love, may be the best part of life, but it has never been, and should never be, the whole of life, much less the only necessity."
She took Li Xiaoxuan's arm and led her forward slowly. "Look, there are many things in this world that can make people feel engaged, fulfilled, and meaningful. You have your own career pursuits, you can also have like-minded friends, and there's Yao Yao... These also build the value of life and can bring you a sense of security and happiness."
Just like her, if it weren't for Fifth Brother back then... she would also strive to find something that brings her a sense of accomplishment and inner peace, and find her own fulfillment.
Nan Zhiyi thought to herself silently.
“Xiaoxuan, we can’t change the established facts,” she softened her voice, “but at least, every day in the future, we can still choose to live for ourselves. Not out of spite, not to make do, but to try to find something in our current lives that truly makes us feel meaningful and brings us light. Not for others, but just for ourselves.”
Seeing that Li Xiaoxuan's eyes flickered slightly, as if she had taken some of the information to heart, Nan Zhiyi stopped talking and steered the conversation to the present moment.
"Yaoyao is asleep. Don't let her catch a cold. Get a good rest tonight, and tomorrow... we'll take the children to see more sights."
Li Xiaoxuan forced a smile and nodded: "Okay."
The two returned to the room, and Nan Zhiyi helped her open the door. The room was pitch black, with only a faint moonlight seeping in from the window.
Nan Zhiyi fumbled for the orange bedside lamp to turn on, its soft light dispelling the darkness in the room.
Li Xiaoxuan placed the sleeping Yao Yao on the bed and carefully tucked her in.
She straightened up, looked at the quiet night outside the window, and then turned to look at Nan Zhiyi standing under the lamplight.
“Zhiyi,” her eyes were bright, “I need to think carefully about how to move forward so that I can live more comfortably. Otherwise, just enduring this day after day is too unbearable.”
Seeing the light return to her eyes, Nan Zhiyi nodded earnestly: "Yes, whatever you want to do, you can come to me anytime if you need me."
"Definitely." Li Xiaoxuan replied, walked up to Nan Zhiyi, and shook her hand. "Thank you, Zhiyi. Really."
Nan Zhiyi pressed down on the back of her hand, "Stop saying such polite things. Come on, you should get some rest."
She smiled, turned around, and gently closed the door behind her as she left.
Back in my suite, it was quiet.
Neither Zhang Yueran nor Zhou Xingzhi went to the hot springs; they probably took a walk under the bright moonlight.
Nan Zhiyi quickly washed up, changed into a comfortable cotton nightgown, and was drying her half-dry hair with a towel when she suddenly heard a few knocks on the door.
Thinking it was Zhang Yueran returning, she said "Coming" as she walked over and opened the door.
Standing outside the door was Gu Xiao, his eyes filled with a smile.
Nan Zhiyi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly threw herself into his arms, "Fifth Brother! Fifth Brother! What are you doing here?!"
She looked up, gazing intently at her husband's face in the dim light of the corridor lamp.
Gu Xiao carried a simple duffel bag in one hand and put his arm around his wife's waist with the other, leading her into the room and gently closing the door with his heel.
He casually placed his duffel bag on the floor by the door, looked down at the person in his arms, and said, "I've arranged my time off, and I drove here as soon as I got off work."
Nan Zhiyi snuggled into his arms happily, but whined sweetly, "You said you were busy these past few days and couldn't get away... I thought you'd only come to pick us up tomorrow afternoon at the latest..."
Gu Xiao pinched the soft flesh on her side: "Isn't it all because of you, you little ingrate? I was afraid you...wouldn't be able to sleep because you missed me?"
Nan Zhiyi gave a coquettish hum, then remembered to check her watch: "It's almost nine o'clock... Our son went to the hot springs with Minister Qin and the others, and he hasn't come back yet."
Gu Xiao didn't care at all, tightening his grip on her arm even more. "I didn't come here for him. It's good that the little third wheel isn't here."
Nan Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his neck and said softly, "Gu Xiao, you're so good to me."
She tilted her head back to kiss him, but when she got close, she smelled a faint scent of sweat. She paused for a moment, then gave him a quick, perfunctory peck on the lips before gently pushing him away.
"I'll kiss you after you've washed yourself clean."
Gu Xiao was both amused and exasperated, so he had no choice but to let go of her. "Okay, I'll listen to my wife. I'll go wash up and change my clothes."
He picked up his duffel bag and headed for the bathroom.
Not long after, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped.
Gu Xiao walked out with wet hair, wearing only a casually put-on pajama top, the buttons on his chest not fully fastened, revealing his firm chest.
Nan Zhiyi rushed straight into his arms, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips. This kiss was no longer perfunctory; it was full of unreserved passion, somewhat urgent, and even a bit haphazard.
A deeper tenderness filled Gu Xiao's eyes as he lowered them and stared at her tightly closed, trembling long eyelashes.
He let her kiss him playfully, carefully supporting her waist, leaning down slightly to accommodate her height, enduring and responding to her burning longing.
After a long while, Nan Zhiyi seemed to have exhausted all her strength and slowly ended the kiss.
All the surging emotions seemed to have been released with that kiss, leaving behind only a deeper longing.
Perhaps it was because she had heard and seen so much about the realities and helplessness in marriage that she came to realize more deeply how precious it was to have Gu Xiao's unwavering cherishing and love.
She hugged him tightly, burying her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck, "Gu Xiao, I like you so much, I love you so much."
Gu Xiao's heart felt as if it had been completely overwhelmed by a warm tide.
This was the first time he had ever heard her say "I love you" so solemnly, outside of the bedroom, while she was so lucid.
In the past, when their love was deep, she would say "I love him" after being coaxed and seduced by him, but this time the meaning was different.
He used his arm to lift her up a little so that she could look him in the eye, his deep eyes locking onto her misty eyes.
"Yes, I love you."
Nan Zhiyi pinched his chest and pressed, "Why don't you say 'I love you too'?"
Gu Xiao kissed her forehead tenderly before saying softly, "'I love you too' sounds like I'm only responding to you because you love me."
"But my love for you is not based on you. It's just there, taken root in my heart from the moment I recognized you. It's my own thing, and it will only grow deeper with time, without any prerequisites."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com