""Zaozao." Song Lifei called her.
He watched as a tear dripped from her eye.
Xin Zaozao masked her emotions with a slight smirk, she said, "You said you would buy sothing expensive for the baby, and I won’t stand on ceremony!"
Words lingered on his lips, but Song Lifei swallowed them back again.
He was sowhat uncertain about the nature of Xin Zaozao’s relationship with Mu Cidian now.
From the mont he found out that Xin Zaozao was pregnant, he knew the child was Mu Cidian’s.
He had always presud they would marry soon.
However, in the past six months, there had been no hint of any impending wedding.
He figured that modern people may not regard performing the wedding ceremony as necessary. Especially Xin Zaozao, a rather indifferent person, might not pursue such a thing. So, he supposed they might conceive the child first and consider other things later.
He had never anticipated that Mu Cidian and Xin Zaozao had broken up.
He thought once Wan Quan died, Mu Cidian would divorce Lei Qian and return to Xin Zaozao.
He did not expect the scene he had just witnessed.
All this while, Xin Zaozao never ntioned anything, always maintaining her composure, telling no one, carrying her child, alone.
Had they not co to this plaza today to look for an amulet for the baby, he would have been oblivious to the fact that Xin Zaozao was alone, that Xin Zaozao had beco a solitary person.
Just monts ago, Xin Zaozao’s distress, the pain she could not hide upon seeing Mu Cidian and Lei Qian together so happily, hurt him deeply.
Didn’t Mu Cidian love Xin Zaozao deeply?
How could he abandon her alone, abandoning her while she was carrying their child?
He restrained his emotions, his sullen anger.
...
Mu Cidian took Lei Qian to have dinner at the rooftop restaurant of the mall, a dinner by candlelight.
Lei Qian was visibly thrilled.
Her face was lit with happiness.
Mu Cidian, always reticent, seed even more so today.
"Cidian," Lei Qian called, eating a high-quality steak, "I’m really happy today."
Mu Cidian glanced at her.
Noticing her eyes squinting with joy.
"Good if you’re happy," Mu Cidian responded in a low voice.
"I’ve always thought you were such a straightforward person. I didn’t expect you also could create surprises."
Mu Cidian gave a tiny smile.
What surprise was this?
It’s just the most basic thing a man should do.
Lei Qian seed to be contented rather easily.
"Cidian," Lei Qian put down her knife and fork, reaching out to hold his hand.
Mu Cidian looked at her.
Lei Qian said, "Thank you."
"Eat more," Mu Cidian advised.
"Mmm," Lei Qian responded, picking up her knife and fork again, and started to eat.
She had a good appetite, savored the food.
Mu Cidian ate without tasting, but he could hide it well, so no one could tell he was distracted.
In the quiet dinner.
Lei Qian suddenly said, "I never expected that Xin Zaozao would be pregnant."
Mu Cidian’s hand that was holding the knife and fork paused, he surreptitiously put them down, picked up the red wine next to him, and took a gulp.
"She and Song Lifei moved fast, didn’t they?" Lei Qian continued, "I always thought that she would still have so feelings for you."
Lei Qian looked a bit remorseful.
A bit remorseful and aggrieved on his behalf.
"Stop talking about her," Mu Cidian cut her off.
Lei Qian bit her lip.
She watched as Mu Cidian drank his red wine, looking out the window, his side profile was so handso even in the most casual of expressions.
She felt a sense of loss in her heart.
She wondered if Mu Cidian had already let go of Xin Zaozao after spending so long together.
After dinner, Mu Cidian and Lei Qian left the mall.
Mu Cidian did not hold her hand, so Lei Qian stood obediently by his side. It was not until their car stopped at their apartnt block and they got out that Lei Qian gathered enough courage to reach out and take Mu Cidian’s hand.
Mu Cidian did not reject, but gently held her hand in his.
They walked towards their apartnt complex together.
Just as they were about to enter the complex.
"Mu Cidian," a familiar male voice called out to him.
Mu Cidian turned his head and saw Song Lifei.
Lei Qian saw him too.
Song Lifei was watching them, hand in hand and appearing intimate.
He let out a cold chuckle, "It seems like the two of you have really hit it off in the past six months."
"Song Lifei, what are you doing here?" Lei Qian asked in surprise.
"I ca to see Mu Cidian."
"What do you want to see him for?" Lei Qian continued.
"Do I need to report to Mada Mu now if I want to see him?" Song Lifei asked sarcastically.
Lei Qian’s face turned red, "That’s not what I ant."
Mu Cidian released Lei Qian’s hand, and told her softly, "You go ho first, I’ll be back later."
Lei Qian glanced at Song Lifei, obediently nodded, and left.
At the entrance of the apartnt complex, Song Lifei and Mu Cidian stood under a street lamp, a step apart from each other.
Song Lifei offered a cigarette to Mu Cidian.
Mu Cidian accepted it.
"Didn’t you quit?" Song Lifei asked.
"Hmm, I’ve picked it up again," Mu Cidian responded lightly.
Two glowing points in the dark night, one dim, one bright.
Song Lifei took a deep inhale, and asked, "Are you really with Lei Qian now?"
"Hmm."
"I thought you wouldn’t love anyone else besides Xin Zaozao."
"Ti can change a lot."
"You once told not to take advantage of the situation. You said you would go back to Xin Zaozao," Song Lifei said, evidently agitated.
Mu Cidian replied, "I take back that statent."
"Mu Cidian!" Song Lifei suddenly threw his cigarette aside. Unable to suppress the anger enveloping his heart, he grabbed Mu Cidian by his collar. "When did you beco such a scumbag!"
Mu Cidian just stared at Song Lifei.
"Playing with Xin Zaozao’s feelings - is it such a simple act for you?" Song Lifei spat venomously. "I really look down on you, Mu Cidian. I really do!"
Mu Cidian stayed silent.
He silently endured Song Lifei’s rage.
"Do you know who Xin Zaozao’s baby father is?" Song Lifei gritted his teeth.
Thinking of Xin Zaozao pregnant with Mu Cidian’s child, while Mu Cidian dallied with other won, made him yearn to kill Mu Cidian.
Mu Cidian swallowed hard.
The emotions within him seed uncontrollable.
"You really think it’s yours? Mu Cidian!" Song Lifei demanded an answer, exploding with anger.
He was irate.
Xin Zaozao had been faithful to Mu Cidian all these years; she’s only ever been with Mu Cidian. Yet, Lifei swallowed the lie so easily that Xin Zaozao was pregnant with another man’s child!
He found it increasingly hard to control the fury within him.
Before Mu Cidian could even respond, Song Lifei violently punched him across the face.
Mu Cidian staggered from the pain and fell to the ground.
Song Lifei was livid.
If murder were not a cri, he would tear Mu Cidian into pieces!
Mu Cidian sat on the ground, unmoving.
He did not retaliate or respond.
What Song Lifei hated most about Mu Cidian was how he kept his thoughts to himself, never letting anyone else figure him out.
Song Lifei said, "Mu Cidian, Xin Zaozao’s child is yours! From start to finish, Xin Zaozao has only ever been with you. I’ve never laid a finger on her!"
He raised his voice.
His voice echoed, containing even more anger.
The woman he loved so carefully, was it right for her to be so carelessly ruined by Mu Cidian?
Was it?!
"I know," Mu Cidian replied.
From the mont he saw Xin Zaozao’s pregnant belly, he knew the child was his.
Xin Zaozao wouldn’t have gotten pregnant with another man’s baby so soon after a miscarriage.
"You knew?" Song Lifei looked at Mu Cidian, feeling that he was even more of a scumbag. He yelled, "You knew and still got involved with Lei Qian. You knew and you still didn’t care. Mu Cidian, are you even human?!"
"But what could I do?!" Mu Cidian suddenly stood up.
His uncontrollable anger surged.
Song Lifei was taken aback.
He had never seen Mu Cidian losing control over his emotions before.
"When Xin Zaozao was pregnant, I begged her not to abort. She said she wouldn’t keep the baby. When I went to find her, she told she’d miscarried!" The emotions Mu Cidian had been repressing filled his eyes to the brim. "She pushed away so forcefully, what could I do? The hatred between our parents stands between us. I wish I could resolve it, but I alone am not enough! On the matter of my mother’s death, I found out that I’m not as strong or resolute as I thought. If Xin Zaozao had given a glimr of hope that we could still be together, would I have turned my back on her?"
Song Lifei looked at Mu Cidian.
He had not anticipated that Mu Cidian was suppressing so much.
He hadn’t experienced their tangled web of emotions and grudges, so he didn’t realize how difficult it was for them to accept each other. He only knew that, "You two are in love, aren’t you?"
Shouldn’t love be sothing unbreakable?!
"I can’t feel Xin Zaozao’s love for ."
"Why would she carry your child if she didn’t love you?"
"If she loves , why would she tell she lost the baby!" Mu Cidian retorted.
Song Lifei fell silent.
In so aspects, he had to admit he was no match for Mu Cidian.
Mu Cidian said, "Since she has made her choice, since this is what she chose, I can only comply."
"Mu Cidian..."
"This is probably the best way for to treat her."
The best way is not to disrupt her life.
She could live very well on her own.
Song Lifei looked at Mu Cidian, "So you’re really giving up, huh?"
"I’ve given up," Mu Cidian said. "I am doing well with Lei Qian now. I admit I am selfish. After going through so much, I want to find soone who loves and cares about . I am tired."
Tired.
Tired of living a cautious life.
Tired of single-handedly holding onto a relationship.
In that mont, Mu Cidian suddenly cald down.
He could endure pain unbearably cruel, pain that no one else could bear. He could hide it so well, no one would even notice.
Such a man was not just strong but also terrifying.
He could be so ruthless, even towards himself.
Song Lifei just watched Mu Cidian straighten his clothes, as if nothing had happened, as he turned around, composed and noble, and left.
He was thinking.
Perhaps Mu Cidian and Xin Zaozao really were over.
Unless... unless there was a sudden twist of fate.
Song Lifei returned to his car.
He drove away.
He drove straight to Xin Zaozao’s house.
Xin Zaozao frowned at the sight of Song Lifei. He’d just dropped her ho and left, why was he back again?
She asked, "What’s the matter?"
"I went to see Mu Cidian," said Song Lifei directly.
Xin Zaozao seed to frown, answering, "You don’t need to report your personal affairs to ."
"He and Lei Qian are doing well."
"I told you, you don’t need to report to ."
"If you love Mu Cidian, make him feel your love. Stop bottling everything up inside. If you don’t speak up, no one will know what you’re thinking!" Song Lifei’s voice soared unexpectedly.
He loved Xin Zaozao dearly, yet he was advising her to understand her own feelings.
He was pushing her towards another man.
Only because, just because, he couldn’t stand to see Xin Zaozao sad. He couldn’t bear her tears.
Her sorrow etched deeply into his heart.
"I don’t understand what you’re saying." Xin Zaozao turned icy. "It’s getting late, you should head ho."
"Xin Zaozao, can’t you treat yourself better?"
"I’m treating myself very well, I don’t need your concern."
"If you were treating yourself well, you wouldn’t be keeping everything in. You wouldn’t be crying while watching Mu Cidian and Lei Qian together! Xin Zaozao, as long as you’re willing, as long as you take the initiative, I’m sure Mu Cidian will return to your side, he’ll co back right away!"
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