Zhao Xiyin conveyed the truth without uttering a single word, in a cruel and ruthless manner.
She kept a straight face, but finally asked the question she had been holding back all the way, "Meng Weixi, I can't control what you do, but can you at least have some sense of boundaries? If Zhou Qishen really dies, can you really wash your hands of it all?"
A single sentence can be devastating, tearing away the pretense and letting in the raging wind and snow from outside.
Meng Weixi asked calmly, "What did I do?"
Zhao Xiyin looked directly at him. "He was stabbed twice in the parking lot, Meng Weixi. This is really pointless."
Meng Weixi said coldly, "He's done so many bad things that he's been targeted by enemies, and he probably doesn't even remember which ones they're after. If I really wanted to kill him, he wouldn't have had the chance to spread rumors about you."
Even the most gentle and kind person can be incredibly arrogant and suffocating. Neither of them has a good attitude; one is straightforward, the other ruthless and disdainful. How can they even talk? Is there any way to talk at all? Meng Weixi felt as if she were being stabbed with knives, her flesh riddled with holes.
Zhao Xiyin took a deep breath, trying her best to control her emotions, "Meng Weixi, it's not worth it for you to sacrifice yourself like this."
"Whether it's worth it or not, I'll decide." Meng Weixi's eyes were filled with despair, and her gaze towards Zhao Xiyin seemed to drip blood. "Zhou Qishen deserves whatever retribution he receives. He's just a despicable scoundrel who takes advantage of others' misfortunes. Back then, if it weren't for him!"
Meng Weixi's voice choked with sobs, his gaze shattered. The person before him was his beloved, a dream he could never fulfill.
When talking about old feelings, there are always sighs. Zhao Xiyin looked at him frankly and sincerely, but the warmth in her eyes seemed to have been evaporated by the rising wind. She was filled with melancholy and confusion, but she could not weave a net that could hold each other up. She could only let the beautiful past slip away like quicksand and could not hold on to it.
Zhao Xiyin said calmly, "Meng Weixi, even without Zhou Qishen, you and I wouldn't go back. The issue isn't who he is; don't you understand now?"
Meng Weixi stepped forward, abandoning all composure, and murmured a promise, "Xiao west, give me a chance. We can do it, we definitely can."
Promises sound like empty words. Some people are destined to be in your life, and if God says she can only accompany you for this part of the journey, then that's all. She is a blessing, and also a calamity; an unattainable dream, and also an unforgettable scar.
When the music ends, it's time for everyone to leave.
Zhao Xiyin raised her head and suddenly said, "I wasn't forced, nor was I looking for a substitute. I married him willingly. I understand my own identity. What I want and what I don't want has always been my own decision. Meng Weixi, there aren't so many complicated reasons. If there were—"
I love this man.
When it comes to relationships, whether they end without a clear reason or don't have a happy ending, they can't be said to be fake. Maybe there's no longer any love, but at least there was love.
"Don't do anything that crosses the line again," Zhao Xiyin said. "You've injured and crippled Zhou Qishen, so there's no future for us. Meng Weixi, please be well. I'm begging you."
The last string broke.
Meng Weixi suddenly let go of his hand, turned around and walked towards the road.
Horses and carriages thronged, arriving in droves, their horns suddenly blaring sharp horns, creating a chaotic cacophony in an instant. Even Meng Weixi's retreating figure conveyed utter heartbreak; that despair and despair made the scene appear both tragic and poignant.
"Meng Weixi!!" Zhao Xiyin, her face pale, rushed over and grabbed his arm, her voice hoarse, "Are you out of your mind?!"
Zhao Xiyin was truly terrified. She practically clung to him, dragging him back to the side of the road. She was both angry and anxious, tears welling in her eyes, and yelled at him, "How could you be so irresponsible!"
Before she could let go, Meng Weixi pulled her into his arms.
His head was buried in her neck, and the man's heartbroken, suppressed sobs reached her ears. Meng Weixi collapsed like a child who couldn't find her way home, "Xiao west, I'm not going to get better... I'll never get better in this lifetime..."
The west wind howls, and the winter chill seeps to the bone.
A gentleman is like jade, unaware of the arising of emotions.
But life is unpredictable, and all those initial intentions and deep feelings have long since changed.
——
At 7:15 PM, Zhou Qishen checked the time several times, but Zhao Xiyin didn't answer her phone. Just as he was feeling annoyed, there was a knock at the door. Zhou Qishen's mood instantly changed, and he leisurely went to open the door, "Little Zhao, you're late today? May your husband starve to death..."
Thankfully, I didn't utter the shameless word "husband".
Zhao Wenchun stood by the door with a serious face and a half-smile, shaking the thermos. "Xiao west had something to do and asked me to bring you some food."
Zhou Qishen stood ramrod straight, all his previous frivolity gone, almost as if he were about to salute him.
Zhao Wenchun scanned him from head to toe. “Oh, your hospital gown is too big. The illness has made you so thin.”
Zhou Qishen smiled and said, "Eating your cooking will make up for it in three days."
Zhao Wenchun just chuckled.
Zhou Qishen was nervous and didn't know what that "hehe" meant.
Zhao Wenchun suddenly sighed again, put the thermos on the table, and said, "Don't stand up while you're injured, lie down for a while."
Zhou Qishen didn't force him and obediently sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Braised beef brisket with white radish, it's good for your energy; Chinese yam and pork rib soup, it's good for your stomach; and this oyster dish is specially made for you. Your kidneys aren't good, so you need to take care of them. You're so young, don't let yourself develop a lot of health problems. Of course, don't avoid seeking medical help, and don't believe in any unspeakable ailments. Get treatment actively and get better soon, understand?"
Zhao Wenchun is a worrier; ever since Zhao Xiyin mentioned it that day, he's remembered these things. Zhou Qishen was a soldier, and he looks very muscular; I remember he used to work out regularly, so he's not just a pretty face. I never imagined he was so weak inside… No wonder they've been married for two years and there's still no sign of a baby.
Teacher Zhao looked worried; his daughter's life was truly miserable.
Zhou Qishen frowned, feeling that something was amiss. But Teacher Zhao's concern was genuine and made sense.
The two exchanged a glance. The warm yellow light illuminated Teacher Zhao's eyes, and the more she looked at Zhou Qishen's face, the more heartbroken she felt. Then she let out another helpless sigh, "...Sigh."
My father-in-law's reaction was truly unsettling.
Zhou Qishen couldn't understand what Teacher Zhao was sighing about; he only knew that he was uneasy and apprehensive. He was afraid that the room for maneuver he had finally managed to get through would be taken away again. He had an important matter on his mind, and the current atmosphere made him unable to control himself and blurt it out.
"...Did you know that Xiao west gave you a grandson?"
Zhao Wenchun nearly lost his balance on the stool, as if he had thorns in his buttocks. He stood up abruptly, his hand raised halfway in the air, shouting, "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Zhou Qishen's gaze was sincere and resolute as he laid his cards on the table, "Three years old, boy, English name Vivi, Chinese name Zhou something... currently unknown, has been living in the United States."