Chapter 14
The two of them didn't know how long they hugged each other, until the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows on the corridor longer and the noise around them gradually subsided.
Ling Peng's heartbeat slowly calmed, but he couldn't let go of her embrace. He felt the warmth and authenticity in her embrace, as if he possessed the most precious treasure in the world. However, the heavy letter of assignment, like a piece of ice, remained pressed against the deepest part of his heart, reminding him of the fleeting nature of his happiness.
He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm, but there was still a subtle tension. He loosened his arms slightly, but his hands were still on her shoulders, and he looked deeply into her eyes that were still filled with shyness and joy.
"Jinglu," he began, his voice a little hoarse than before, "There's something... I must tell you."
Zhao Jinglu was still immersed in the sweetness of their newly established relationship. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining as she looked at him. She tilted her head slightly when she heard his words, with a bit of coquettishness in her voice: "Huh? What's the matter? You look so serious... You didn't just ask me to be your girlfriend and then you tell me that you actually have a fiancée arranged for you since childhood?" She tried to make a joke to ease his overly serious tone.
Ling Peng was stung by her joke, and his heart tightened slightly. He shook his head and held her hand, applying a little pressure with his fingertips, as if to draw strength from her.
"It's more realistic than that..." He spoke with difficulty, carefully considering each word. "Last week, the leadership officially notified me of... my work arrangements after becoming a regular employee."
He paused, observing her reaction. The smile on Zhao Jinglu's face faded a little, as if she had a premonition of something, and a hint of inquiry appeared in her eyes.
"The company has a rule that new employees need to be sent out for training for two years after they are converted to regular employees." He finally said the core of the matter, his eyes fixed on her, not missing any subtle changes on her face.
The light in Zhao Jinglu's eyes flickered like a candle in the wind. The blush on her face gradually faded, and her lips parted slightly, as if she hadn't quite reacted. "An assignment? ...For two years? To...where?"
"Shenzhen." Ling Peng uttered these two words clearly, as if he was afraid that he would hesitate and never be able to say it again. "A new R&D center, a good opportunity." He added the latter sentence subconsciously, as if he was explaining himself, and as if he was trying to comfort her - or, to comfort himself.
"Shenzhen..." Zhao Jinglu repeated softly, as if to confirm the authenticity of the place name. The joy and shyness in her eyes quickly receded like the tide, replaced by a bewildered, helpless emptiness. The happiness she had just grasped seemed to be swept away thousands of miles before it could even warm up, and it would last for two years.
She stared blankly at Ling Peng, seeing the same heaviness and reluctance in his eyes, as well as that cautious worry. The man who had just excitedly hugged her and asked if she would be his girlfriend, and the man who now told her that he would be away for two years, overlapped, and she felt a huge, bittersweet gap in her heart.
"So..." Her voice trembled slightly, with a subtle hint of grievance and accusation. "Is this why you suddenly came here? Do you really need an answer right now?"
Because he is about to leave, you need to confirm the relationship as soon as possible and find an emotional anchor for your long journey?
This thought darted into her mind like a venomous snake, instantly igniting the grievances of being concealed and the sudden change in the situation. A feeling of being "plotted" made her furious, and she suddenly broke free from Ling Peng's hand, even taking a small step back, as if to re-examine him.
"I don't want to!" She blurted out, her voice rising with excitement, filled with tears and anger, and her eyes instantly turned red. "I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore! Ling Peng, you liar! Why didn't you say it just now? You had to wait until I agreed before telling me you were leaving for two years! If this isn't a lie, what is it?! You're just trying to protect yourself!"
She accuses incoherently, tears rolling down her face uncontrollably. How sweet it was just now, how painful it is now.
Ling Peng was stunned by her intense reaction and the word "liar." It felt like his heart had been pounded hard, and he felt a sharp pain. He looked at her tears that instantly burst forth, and her face filled with hurt and anger. He panicked, and all his calmness and composure disappeared.
"No! Jinglu! It's not like that!" He took a step forward eagerly, wanting to grab her hand again, but she shook it away forcefully.
He could only stand there, his hands suspended in mid-air, his tone unprecedentedly flustered and anxious, his words rapidly uttering, "I admit I'm scared! I'm terribly scared! I'm afraid that after two years away, I'll really lose you when I come back! I'm afraid someone better will appear in these two years, and I'm afraid you'll forget me! So I have to know your answer, I have to confirm that we're together, only then will I have the courage to face these two thousand kilometers and over seven hundred days! But I'm not lying to you! I want to be with you, and this has nothing to do with the assignment! I just... I just can't bear to be apart without being sure of your feelings!"
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and looked at her with burning, almost pleading eyes: "If I told you I was going to be assigned abroad first, and then asked you if you were willing to be with me, would that be fair to you? It's like using distance and time to kidnap you! I don't want that! What I want is your pure heart, just like what I give you! Then... then we can work together to find a way to overcome the distance, instead of letting you make a decision under pressure!"
His explanation was urgent and sincere, even a little incoherent, but it clearly revealed his inner fear, his selfishness, and his cherishment and cautiousness towards this relationship.
Zhao Jinglu listened with tears streaming down her face. Seeing him flustered and desperate, wanting to prove his point, the anger and resentment in her heart slowly deflated like a popped balloon. She understood his logic; while it was a bit of a jerk, it was driven by a deep fear of losing.
It’s not that he doesn’t love, it’s that he loves too frantically.
She sniffed, tears still falling, but her tone had softened, with a heavy nasal voice: "Then you...you can't do this..."
Hearing her tone slow down, Ling Peng's heart finally settled a little. He cautiously approached her again, and when she didn't move away, he gently wiped the tears from her face with his fingertips, as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.
"I'm sorry, Jinglu, it's my fault." He apologized in a low voice, his voice filled with guilt and heartache, "I was too anxious and too scared. I should have found a better time and a better way to tell you... I'm sorry for scaring you."
He looked at her red eyes and nose, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "You can call me a bastard, but... don't say you don't want to, don't regret what you said just now, okay? That's really... too important to me."
Zhao Jinglu raised her tearful eyes and looked at him. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, completely lacking his usual calm and composed demeanor. The anger in her heart finally completely dissipated, replaced by a sour and tender feeling of heartache.
She curled her lips and muttered in a sobbing voice: "...He is a bastard."
This is a sign of forgiveness.
Ling Peng breathed a long, relieved sigh, unable to resist pulling her into his arms again, this time filled with soothing and apologetic gestures. "Yeah, I was an asshole," he admitted readily, his chin gently nuzzling the top of her head. "I'll never do that again."
Zhao Jinglu calmed down in his arms, feeling his equally rapid heartbeat in her chest, slowly digesting this sudden change.
"Two years...a long time." She whispered again, this time without anger in her tone, but with a heaviness of reality and a hint of confusion.
"I know." Ling Peng's voice became lower, but more determined, "I will try my best to come back to see you every holiday. No, I will definitely come back every holiday. You can also come to Shenzhen during the holidays, and I will take you to eat all the delicious food... We can video chat and text messages every day..." He once again eagerly described the not-so-easy future, but this time, with the attitude of planning it together with her.
Zhao Jinglu listened quietly without interrupting him. She waited until he paused for a moment before raising her head. Her gaze became clear and resolute again, though her eyes were still red.
"Ling Peng," she called his name, her voice soft but with a quiet strength, "I just said 'I do', and I meant it. Nothing has changed."
She paused, as if speaking to herself, or as if declaring to him, "Two years is just two years. You're going to work and become a better person, right? I'll be here too, finishing my studies and dancing. I won't stand there waiting foolishly, but I will... wait for you to come back."
This was not a light promise, but a sober decision made after a brief but intense consideration. She saw the challenges brought by distance and time, but she chose to accept the challenge while maintaining her own growth.
Ling Peng stared at her in amazement. She had clearly been lost in the agonizing decision just moments before, yet she had so quickly digested the bad news and delivered a response far stronger and more mature than he had expected. A surge of warmth and genuine admiration washed over him, dispelling much of the gloom and uneasiness he felt.
He once again pulled her tightly into his arms, this time with a hug filled with gratitude, commitment, and determination to fight side by side.
"Thank you, Jinglu." He whispered in her ear, his voice still hoarse, but full of strength, "Wait for me. I will definitely come back."
The sun finally sank completely below the horizon, and dusk gently enveloped the two people who embraced each other. The next two years were destined to be filled with longing and trials, but at this moment, they were filled with courage because of each other's determination.
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