Xia Meng walked out and saw him sitting there, motionless, without a glass of water in front of him, so she went over like a host and poured him a glass. Then, she sat down opposite him and poured herself a glass.

There is floor heating in the house, so the water was hot when it was delivered, and it is still warm now.

After drinking a cup, the two looked at each other in silence.

In the end, it was Xia Meng who spoke first and asked directly.

"You're going to join the army?"

"Um."

"Is it... because of what happened between us?"

“…”

This made Xing Zhao a little unsure about how to continue. After all, most of his thoughts were on his cousin and the Gu family, but if he really wanted to talk about it, he could also avoid it.

But his silence led Xia Meng to misunderstand, and she thought he really did that, so she breathed a sigh of relief and then spoke.

"What happened that day was not a big deal to me, and since then you have been saying that you would take responsibility, but I didn't see your sincerity, so I have been avoiding you. But after talking with Jingyi today, I also think I should give you a chance to talk seriously. So, now I ask you, what exactly do you mean by taking responsibility for me? Have you figured it out?"

Xia Meng's frankness made Xing Zhao feel a little at a loss.

He said he would be responsible, and he really was responsible. After all, he had ruined the girl's reputation, and it would be unacceptable for him not to take responsibility.

But it was obvious that Xia Meng was not that kind of person. If she wanted to enter into a marriage, it must be based on mutual love, not on so-called responsibility. That was why she asked such questions. But facing such a sharp question, Xing Zhao naturally had no answer, so he remained silent.

Xia Meng was unusually patient. She waited for him to speak without rushing or being annoyed. She just wanted to hear his true thoughts.

Perhaps it was because of her relaxation that Xing Zhao found a breakthrough in the problem that had troubled him for many days and nights, so he slowly spoke in that direction.

"I once had a crush on someone, but unfortunately her family married her off before I could even propose marriage. So I stayed silent for several years afterwards. I seemed to be having a good time, but in fact, I just couldn't get over that incident. Even after she got married and had children for several years, I still had that obsession in my heart, so it delayed my future life."

"After that, my feelings for her actually faded a lot. I don't even think about it anymore. I'm just used to being alone and there's no one around me that I'm attracted to. That's why I'm still single until now."

He spoke very slowly, as if he was revealing the thoughts he had hidden for years.

Although it was a little difficult to say, for some reason, the person sitting opposite him was Xia Meng, so he could say it.

"Then, what happened between you and me. When I said I wanted to take responsibility, I meant it sincerely. No matter what, your innocence was ruined in my hands. I have the responsibility and obligation to take responsibility for this, but..."

"But I have never seen a woman like you. When faced with such a thing, you didn't curse or yell, nor did you want me to intervene. So I did have some thoughts of running away at that time. As for joining the army now, I won't hide it from you. Eighty percent of it is because of the Gu family and my cousin, and twenty percent is because of you and me. I know you have never been interested in me, so I won't force it."

As he spoke, he took out a box and handed it over solemnly.

Xia Meng was a little puzzled, and then she opened the box. Inside was a thick stack of land deeds and shop items, which were worth at least hundreds of thousands of taels.

"What do you mean? Give me money to get rid of me?"

"No, you misunderstood. These are my private properties that I have saved up over the years. There are twelve shops and three houses in them. Although the things are not a lot, it is enough to ensure that you will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of your life. Since you don't like me to be responsible for something, I won't mention it again. But since I did something wrong, I should make up for it, so don't feel anything. I just hope that you can live a happier life in the second half of your life."

Then Xing Zhao was afraid that Xia Meng would be angry, so he quickly added.

"If you think these things are really an eyesore, you can do whatever you want with them. You can exchange them for money and send them to the Jishan Hall, or spend them recklessly. I don't know when I will be back, so you can do whatever you want with them."

Xia Meng found his words a little funny. It wasn't that he was insincere, but that they were childish and desperate.

Xing Zhao didn't know if what he just said was useful, so his cheeks turned slightly red. If he was still a teenager, he would probably scratch his head to relieve the embarrassment.

Xia Meng has lived two lives, and she has never met a man like Xing Zhao.

Of course, she had been in love in the past, but she broke up with that person without even holding hands, so she had no experience in being in love or being in love.

When encountering such a situation, one will instinctively escape, but at the same time, one will also feel annoyed at oneself for pushing the situation to this point, which is indeed inappropriate.

So, this is why we are having today’s conversation.

"You are sincere and didn't make up any nonsense to fool me."

There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!

"I'm old, not a child. Besides, you're so smart. If I lie and you find out, wouldn't that be courting death?"

When the two of them talked, there was a sense of relaxation, whether in the past or now.

Xia Meng looked at his eyes. Although they were not clear, they contained a steadiness and composure that came from the accumulation of years. Then she asked a question.

"I have to go?"

"Well, I've made up my mind. Rather than staying here and getting annoyed by fighting all day, it's better to stay away."

“Is life hard in the military camp?”

"Of course I was physically exhausted, but my heart was full. Now when I think back, the happiest days for me were the years I spent with my cousin in the Gu Family Army."

Xia Meng nodded, then took the box and said without any hesitation.

"Since you've sent me the stuff, I won't refuse. I'll just keep it for you temporarily. If you run out of money someday, just tell me and I'll return it to you intact!"

Xing Zhao probably didn't expect the final result to be like this, so he was stunned for a moment but soon nodded with a smile on his face, which was the last time he had truly released any emotion in these days.

"good."

"The swords on the battlefield are blind, so be careful, you won't be so lucky every time." (End of this chapter)