Cheng Muyun's feet felt like they were nailed to the spot, heavy as cement, and every inch of movement felt like it would exhaust all his strength.
It felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on his back, causing his spine to ache faintly, and even his breathing to become heavy and labored.
Xu Jixin's eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracting slightly in shock. His gaze was fixed on Xu Shinong, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Father, what did you say?"
Cheng Muyun's body was as stiff as a sculpture. He slowly turned around, and his neck made a slight "creaking" sound as he turned.
Those eyes stared unblinkingly at Xu Shi Nong, their depths like a bottomless abyss, dark and unfathomable, with only surging emotions roaring silently within.
"What do you mean?" Cheng Muyun's throat felt like it had been sanded, his voice was extremely hoarse, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
Xu Shinong slowly put down her chopsticks. The porcelain chopsticks touched the rim of the bowl, making a soft sound, but it was particularly clear in the quiet space.
His gaze swept over the two astonished people in front of him, his brows furrowing slightly. His heart felt heavy and suffocating, as if a dark cloud was pressing down on it.
“At the beginning of the year, Zhuohua went to Baiyun Temple.” He paused, his voice low. “After she came back, she made a special trip to see me and we talked about some things. Not long after, she went to Dongzhou. Aren’t you curious about what she talked to me about?”
Cheng Muyun's heart sank.
He had also visited Baiyun Temple and met Master Yunxu. The master's clear and cold voice still seemed to echo in his ears, clearly telling him his inevitable death.
From that moment on, he had only one thought—since his fate was already sealed and could not be changed, all that mattered was that Xu Zhuohua could live.
Master Yunxu said that as long as Xu Zhuohua goes to Dongzhou, there is a glimmer of hope for her to survive.
That's why he gritted his teeth and let go, allowing her to leave, even though he spent every day in longing and torment.
But in the end, things didn't go as planned, and he still lost her.
He had no idea how much Xu Zhuohua had done and how much she had paid to save him.
"What did you talk about?" Xu Jixin couldn't contain his eagerness and leaned forward to ask, his voice filled with obvious anxiety.
“Master Yunxu pointed her to a vague and uncertain path.” Xu Shinong’s voice was even lower. “Hope was already slim, but she was willing to take the plunge. However, she was afraid that she would not succeed in the end, afraid that she would not be able to break free from the shackles of fate, so… she made a bet with me.”
Upon hearing the words "betting," both Cheng Muyun and Xu Jixin felt a tightness in their hearts, as if an invisible hand had gripped their hearts, and a sudden, intense pain spread, making it difficult to even breathe.
"A bet? Related to the eastbound southern route?"
Xu Jixin had already guessed what was going on. Even though Xu Zhuohua had kidnapped Xu Jixin, he still wanted to build his own manpower and separate the arms from the Xu family. Perhaps it was because of a bet.
Cheng Muyun remained silent. He had guessed Xu Zhuohua's unusual behavior, and his heart felt as heavy as if a stone were pressing on it.
“It is indeed related to the Eastbound Southbound Line,” Zhuohua said. She increased the transportation speed of the Eastbound Southbound Line several times, put the management rights of all lines in the hands of the Xu family, and kept the lines clean and untainted.
Xu Zhuohua did it.
No one could have imagined that this seemingly impossible thing, something entirely based on luck, was actually a betting agreement between Xu Zhuohua and Xu Shinong.
"What's the stake?" Xu Jixin leaned forward, his fingertips almost clenching into his palm, eager to know the answer.
Xu Shi Nong's gaze passed over him and landed directly on Cheng Mu Yun's face.
Under the dim light, the anger surging in Cheng Muyun's eyes was almost about to burst forth, but deep within that firelight was a hint of heartache that was hard to conceal, like cotton wool scalded by sparks, curled up and radiating a scorching heat.
“She said that the eastern and southern routes are well-connected and have the most timely information.” Xu Shinong’s voice was not loud, but every word was clear. “She hopes that if Cheng Muyun gets into trouble, the Xu family can mobilize all its resources to save your life.”
He emphasized the last few words, his gaze fixed on Cheng Muyun, not wanting to miss the slightest change in his expression.
He desperately wanted to know if all the elaborate schemes and risks Xu Zhuohua had put in, risking her slim chance of survival, for this man in front of her, were truly worth it.
Cheng Muyun suddenly raised his hand to cover his chest, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He clenched his jaw so tightly that the veins on his neck bulged slightly, and his handsome eyebrows were furrowed into a deep knot, as if he wanted to lock all his emotions in those folds.
The pain in his chest surged like a tidal wave, with a devastating force. He could only barely suppress the dull pain that threatened to tear him apart by clutching his clothes tightly, as if grasping at the last straw.
So it turns out... she never went to Dongzhou for her own sake.
Xu Jixin suddenly stood up. "Father, what are you saying? Why does it sound like Zhuohua already knew he was going to die?"
Xu Shinong shifted her gaze to Xu Jixin, the sorrow in her eyes finally settling down heavily: "Yes, Zhuohua knew all along. She was worried, so she entrusted Cheng Muyun to me."
After he finished speaking, he turned back and looked at Cheng Muyun with a deep gaze.
He spoke clearly, word by word: "So, when I learned that you were imprisoned but had no intention of asking for help, I insisted on inviting you to the Xu residence. You want to sever ties with the Xu family, but Zhuohua is a member of the Xu family, and that will never change. And you are the person she has chosen, the son-in-law of the Xu family, and that will also never change."
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