[Wrong Elevator, Wrong Door] (151-160) Author: No Cat Under Heaven

Author: No Cat Under Heaven
Word Count: 38347

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Chapter 151: A Visit to the Past

Once Chu Chen had his fill of passion, he couldn't stop, wanting to communicate with Cheng Xiaoyu in bed day and night
. Chu Chen was a thoughtful and studious student who was good at applying what he learned to other situations. Before long, he had mastered
various techniques of intimacy without a teacher, and Cheng Xiaoyu gradually transformed from a simple and naive little girl into
a sweet and lovely young woman. When they returned home for the New Year, every relative and friend who saw Cheng Xiaoyu said that Xiaoyu had become
more beautiful. She had indeed become more beautiful; her cheeks were rosier, her eyes were more sparkling, and even the smile on her lips was sweeter than before—
the unique beauty of a girl in love.

However, Chu Chen's life wasn't so comfortable. He and Cheng Xiaoyu had only been together for a month, and the novelty hadn't worn off
when Cheng Xiaoyu abandoned him and went home for the New Year. Chu Chen usually didn't go back to his parents' house much, but
he couldn't not go back for the New Year. The only person happiest to see him come home was his mother. His father had treated him
like . His younger brother's relationship with him was lukewarm; the boy knew everything. He was just starting university
, so it wasn't a big deal yet, but when the Xi family's vast fortune was divided in the future, the two brothers might develop a rift.

Chu Chen couldn't sleep every night, missing Cheng Xiaoyu's soft, sweet body. Adding to the stress, the frequent
family him to develop mouth ulcers, making
him feel like a cat on a hot tin roof. He constantly called Cheng Xiaoyu, asking when she would come back, saying he missed her so much he was sick. Cheng Xiaoyu, seeing his
pitiful state, could only exchange sweet nothings with him on the phone before hanging up.

Cheng Xiaoyu would hide in her room and make phone calls for over an hour every day, which worried her mother.
Her daughter Xiaoyu was honest and straightforward, and as a mother, she always worried her daughter would suffer. That evening, the family sat in front of the TV eating
fruit. Cheng's mother asked, "Xiaoyu, I see you and Chu Chen have a good relationship. Do you
know ?"

Cheng Xiaoyu replied, "His family owns a company. Tianyi is owned by his uncle, didn't I mention that?"

Cheng's mother said, "That's his uncle's family. I'm asking about his family."

"His family? They also own a company. His maternal grandfather's generation has been in the audio-visual entertainment industry in Qingcheng. I haven't asked what his parents do
now ."

Cheng's mother frowned. "Is his family particularly wealthy?"

"Hmm, they should be quite wealthy."

Cheng's mother fell silent for a while before saying, "Being too wealthy isn't necessarily a good thing."

Cheng Xiaoyu picked up a large, red apple and took a bite. "That's strange. Being poor is bad, but being rich
is also bad?"

"What do you know, kid? Most spoiled brats are spendthrifts. What kind of person is Chu Chen? Does he even know how to
be ambitious? Some young men just laugh and talk nonsense when they see pretty girls; those kinds of men are completely unreliable,"

Cheng Xiaoyu yelled. "Mom, you're so annoying! I'm not stupid, do you think I don't know what kind of guy is good?"

Cheng's father chimed in, "I see you worrying all the time. You'll know once you meet him.
Are there no good kids from wealthy families? You can't generalize."

Cheng's mother glared at Cheng's father. "Even poor kids aren't guaranteed to be honest, let alone rich kids. Who
knows how many girls throw themselves at them?"

Cheng's father fell silent, refusing to eat his fruit, and went inside to play Spider Solitaire on the computer.

That evening, when Cheng Xiaoyu called Chu Chen, she told him that her mother had asked her
if Chu Chen was a spoiled brat and if he laughed and talked nonsense when he talked to pretty girls.

Chu Chen asked, "So what did you say?"

"I didn't say much, just told her not to worry about it."

"Why didn't you defend me properly?"

"What's there to defend? Maybe you act like that with pretty girls, I just didn't know."

"Sigh, Cheng Xiaoyu, I've entrusted you with my most precious innocence, and you say
things like that to me? It hurts so much. It seems I can't rely on
you to change my precious image in my future mother-in-law's eyes; I'll have to do it myself."

Cheng Xiaoyu just giggled.

They were just joking, but Cheng Xiaoyu didn't expect Chu Chen to actually come to her house a few days later. That day,
while they were on the phone, Cheng Xiaoyu casually asked where he was. Chu Chen said he was right outside her door. Cheng Xiaoyu said
, "Are you kidding me? Do you know what color my door is?" Chu Chen said, "Your door is maroon. Open
the door and see." Cheng Xiaoyu opened the door hesitantly. Chu Chenzhen stood there, his hair shorter than usual, wearing a
neat short down jacket and jeans, holding a phone in one hand and several boxes of gifts in the other. Cheng Xiaoyu screamed
and threw herself at Chu Chenzhen, spinning him around. Her gaze swept around and she saw her parents
standing behind them, staring blankly.

Cheng Xiaoyu quickly released her arms from Chu Chenzhen's neck, saying a little shyly, "Dad, Mom, this is
Chu Chen."

Chu Chenzhen nodded gracefully, "Uncle and Aunt, hello."

Cheng Xiaoyu was supposed to return to Qingcheng in two days, but Chu Chenzhen, ever the smooth talker, said that with the Spring Festival travel rush so crowded,
he didn't want Cheng Xiaoyu to squeeze onto the train alone, so he drove over to pick her up. Chu Chenzhen stayed at the Cheng family home
for two days, making Cheng Xiaoyu's parents very happy, and they were basically reassured about entrusting their daughter to him. Of course,
this was also related to Chu Chen's personality. Growing up in a large, complicated family, even at
home, his father treated him differently than a child. This fostered Chu Chen's
ability to read people and made him more mature than his peers, naturally making it easier for him to win over parents.

Chu Chen's car quickly drove out of Liucheng city. He smiled and said to Cheng Xiaoyu, "I think Mom and Dad really
like me."

Cheng Xiaoyu smiled and glanced at him, "You're so good at pretending to be obedient, I'm almost falling for you."

It took more than five hours to drive back to Qingcheng. When Chu Chen parked the car downstairs at his apartment building, it was already dark.
Cheng Xiaoyu had fallen asleep in her seat. Chu Chen locked the car and carried Cheng Xiaoyu upstairs.

Cheng Xiaoyu woke up as soon as Chu Chen moved, hugging his neck and asking, "Are we home?"

"Yes."

"Put me down."

"I still have the strength to carry you upstairs, don't move." Chu Chen carried Cheng Xiaoyu into the house and put her down directly.
They got onto the bed and Cheng Xiaoyu leaned over, smiling as she gently rubbed Chu Chen's face. "We're finally home!"

Chu Chen looked at her, his hand already slipping under her clothes and caressing her chest.

Cheng Xiaoyu laughed and tried to dodge, "Ouch, your hands are cold! No, we just got home, let me rest first."

"Baby, look how pent-up I've been for the past two weeks, and you don't even know how to cherish your
man ."

Cheng Xiaoyu laughed, "How pent-up you are?"

"You naughty rabbit, feel it yourself." Chu Chen pulled Cheng Xiaoyu's small hand and rubbed it against the
zipper a few times.

Cheng Xiaoyu smiled, her fingers tapping lightly through his jeans like playing the piano, then she slipped two fingers inside his
waistband playfully tugged at the slightly stiff pubic hair inside his underwear.

Chu Chen was already burning with desire without anyone teasing him, and he couldn't resist this. Like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey, he pinned Cheng Xiaoyu to
the bed and began undressing them both.

Cheng Xiaoyu whimpered like a kitten, "Why are you in such a hurry? Take your time."

Chu Chen wasn't going to take his time; he casually smeared some lubricant on his penis and thrust it in directly. Cheng Xiaoyu scrunched up
her face and kicked Chu Chen's back twice, "Ouch~"

Chu Chen kissed her face and started thrusting, "Baby, did you miss me after being home for over two weeks?"

"No~"

Chu Chen thrust heavily inside her, "Really didn't?"

Cheng Xiaoyu felt a tingling sensation in her bones from the thrusting, and she clung to him tightly, whimpering, "I just didn't,
you're a bad guy, a big bad guy."

Chu Chen smiled mischievously, thrusting heavily into her again and again, "Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me or not?"

Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't remember whether she said yes or no at the end; anyway, it was two
hours . A faint scent of desire filled the air; both of them were filled with happiness and satisfaction,
and they fell into a deep sleep, tired but comfortable in each other's arms.

Chapter 152 More Pain Than Death (H)

Cheng Xiaoyu felt Bei Mingcheng's hand unbuttoning her jeans. Terrified, she ignored the pain on her face and
struggled to sit up, trying to push him away. But the difference in strength between men and women was too great; how could she possibly push him away?
Actually, Yan Yu had forced her before, but the feeling was completely different. Yan Yu, after all, couldn't bear to truly
hurt her. But Bei Mingcheng wasn't Yan Yu; his actions in subduing her were as cold and ruthless as treating an enemy.

When Bei Mingcheng slipped his fingers into her underwear and touched her private parts, Cheng Xiaoyu felt a surge of shame and indignation,
almost wanting to vomit. She struggled like a madwoman, even pulling out a lock of Bei Mingcheng's hair. Bei Mingcheng angrily
cursed her as a slut and tied both her hands to the headboard with a belt.

He used his disgusting hands to caress her body, even inserting his fingers into her vagina,
which was dry and showed no signs of arousal, but was soft and tight enough. A satisfied
smile curled at the corner of Bei Mingcheng's lips. No wonder Yan Yu couldn't bear to part with her; this was the benefit.

Cheng Xiaoyu cried and screamed, struggling incessantly. "Bei Mingcheng, I'm telling you, if you dare touch me
, I will kill you! I swear!"

Bei Mingcheng didn't care whether Cheng Xiaoyu was begging or cursing. He stood up, pulled down his underwear and threw it
aside , revealing his thick, menacing penis. Then he grabbed Cheng Xiaoyu's ankles and forcefully spread them apart, revealing her cherry-red
vulva. Her body trembled, even her labia minora quivered slightly, making him want to ravage her even more.
Bei Mingcheng knelt on the bed and rubbed his burning penis against her beautiful opening a couple of times, then maliciously
watched Cheng Xiaoyu's expression.

Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't help but cry, "Please, please, don't, let me go..."

Bei Mingcheng put one of Cheng Xiaoyu's legs on his shoulder, and with one hand, he guided his penis to her slightly
concave . The two small petals were forced open with some difficulty by his rubbing. The entrance was so narrow, and
he was about to enter her. Thinking of this, Bei Mingcheng couldn't help but feel excited. He looked up at Cheng Xiaoyu,
"Little Fish, blame yourself for messing with me at the bar..."

Before Bei Mingcheng could finish speaking, Cheng Xiaoyu's foot, which was on Bei Mingcheng's shoulder, suddenly kicked hard into his chest. The
kick was very powerful, and Bei Mingcheng's chest ached. He clutched his chest and gasped for breath for a few seconds,
then viciously pried open Cheng Xiaoyu's legs and fiercely thrust into her slightly open, rosy vulva.

Cheng Xiaoyu closed her eyes and screamed, "Yan Yu! Come save me!"

That summer, she was nearly killed when a sweaty man pinned her to the bed. Yan Yu, like a god,
burst through the window and rescued her from that disgusting man, from that sweltering, dilapidated
little house, from her chaotic, impoverished
life from the agonizing darkness of longing, the thin air, the despair, and the near suffocation she felt. So
, Yan Yu, this time, please come save me too!

Unfortunately, life isn't a fairy tale. Yan Yu didn't burst through the window again to appear before her and defeat the man who was pressing his ugly
penis against her. Even if Yan Yu had once been sent by heaven to save her, she had closed the door and pushed him
out. So this time, he didn't come.

Cheng Xiaoyu was brutally penetrated, possessed, rubbed, and thrust into by a thick penis. She was in pain, but that pain
was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. Why would anyone say that all men are the same after a few drinks in the dark?
How could they be the same? Being forced into a relationship by a man you don't like—that feeling of shame, resentment, and filth is worse than
death .

Bei Mingcheng spread Cheng Xiaoyu's legs wide, panting heavily as he thrust in and out. Her tight, tender, slightly trembling
flower-like opening could suck a man's soul in; she was truly a gem, no wonder he'd gone to so much trouble.

The leather straps binding Cheng Xiaoyu's wrists were already bleeding, even the diamond bracelet was stained a pale
red , yet Cheng Xiaoyu was still struggling desperately. She wanted to kick him, but she was too weak from the pain; any
kicks she landed on him would be utterly ineffective.

Bei Mingcheng grabbed her ankles and hoisted them onto his shoulders, thrusting wildly and deeply, forcing Cheng Xiaoyu's fair and supple
body to sway rhythmically with him. He reached out and pinched Cheng Xiaoyu's chin, "Your Yan Yu didn't come to save
you, you must be in a lot of pain, right?"

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Bei Mingcheng, her eyes filled with intense resentment. Her voice trembled as she cursed Bei Mingcheng,
saying she would definitely kill him, that he would be ruined and die a horrible death, that his family, his friends, everything he cared about
would go to hell with him, that he was more disgusting than garbage in a garbage dump and could not bring any woman any peace.
He felt pleasure, saying that she would repay him tenfold for everything he had done to her that day. She cursed him, wishing all
possible misfortunes would befall him, and said she would haunt him even as a ghost. To all her frenzied curses,
Bei Mingcheng only replied with one sentence: "I'm going to fuck you to death.

" The tender passage couldn't withstand the forceful thrusting, gradually convulsing, cracking, and bleeding. With the blood as
lubrication Bei Mingcheng's entry and exit became easier. Watching the twisted, cherry-red petals tightly gripping his penis, slowly
oozing bright red blood, Bei Mingcheng felt a feverish excitement. How long had it been since he felt this excited?
Every contraction of that soft, tender little hole made his blood boil. If he didn't exert
all on her, his blood would surely burst from his veins.

As Bei Mingcheng became more aroused, he grabbed Cheng Xiaoyu's legs and pressed them against her chest, exposing her entire vulva to make it
easier for him to exert force. Cheng Xiaoyu's cursing gradually subsided, a faint
smell of blood . Bei Mingcheng thrust deeper, touching her slightly hardened clitoris, a delicate and sensitive spot. Each thrust
sent a shiver through Cheng Xiaoyu, her small, mouth-like clitoris gripping him like a powerful suction cup,
sending a tingling sensation up his spine to the top of his head. Bei Mingcheng, his eyes bloodshot with excitement, gripped her
legs and roared as he pounded into her.

Cheng Xiaoyu stared at the dark ceiling, thinking she was numb with pain, but
then she felt a dull, aching pain spreading from deep within her lower abdomen… Was it her child? Cheng Xiaoyu didn't
know if she was pregnant. She had been clinging to a sliver of hope that she probably wasn't, but
why was it hurting so much? The pain was unlike anything she had ever experienced before; even the worst menstrual cramps weren't half as
bad.

Cheng Xiaoyu opened her mouth, her voice trembling with excitement, "Bei Mingcheng, I have a baby, I beg you,
please stop . I won't resist anymore, I'll do whatever you want, I have a child, my stomach hurts
so much, Bei Mingcheng, please be gentle, I beg you, I beg you."

Bei Mingcheng spread Cheng Xiaoyu's legs into an M shape and pressed her onto the bed, looking down at her pale and terrified face,
"You're begging me? Didn't you just say that all the misfortunes in the world would befall me? Is
n't it a little late to beg me now?" As he spoke, he thrust heavily into her again, the feeling of being sucked in was so pleasurable. Bei
Mingcheng had slept with many women, but Cheng Xiaoyu's cervix was the first one with such strong suction. Perhaps it was
because of the pregnancy, her body's stress response was to protect the child, which was why it was contracting and sucking so strongly. But Bei Mingcheng
didn't care. Anyway, this child was not good, whether he got rid of it tonight or with medication tomorrow, it wouldn't make much difference,
and judging from the things she said to him, this woman needed to be taught a lesson.

Cheng Xiaoyu's voice choked with sobs. "Bei Mingcheng... I'd rather you kill me than hurt my
child , my baby. He's only forty-odd days old, and I think I'm bleeding. I beg you, Bei Mingcheng, I beg you to come out...
Yan Yu, Yan Yu, where are you? My baby, Yan Yu..."

Annoyed by her cries, Bei Mingcheng grabbed a pair of underwear from the bed, crumpled them up, and stuffed them into Cheng Xiaoyu's mouth. Cheng Xiaoyu
continued to sob, her wrists digging into the metal buckle of her belt, bright
red blood trickling down her slender, white arms, just like the blood flowing between her legs. Large
tears rolled down Cheng Xiaoyu's cheeks. She was filled with regret. She had actually told Yan Yu that this child
would be an illegitimate child and she had to abort it. This was a little life living inside her! Even if the whole world
harmed it, shouldn't she protect it? Yet she uttered such cold-blooded words. How
heartbroken the animal must have been to hear them! Now she was about to lose it; she was its mother, yet she couldn't protect it, only watch helplessly
as it was harmed… Cheng Xiaoyu felt an intense pain, as if her heart was being relentlessly shattered, torn to
a bloody pulp, yet still shamelessly pounding. She had once thought that dying once was the most painful thing in the world, but
now she knew that some things were more painful than death. Her entire world had collapsed, and she
was falling .

Cheng Xiaoyu's empty eyes seemed to hold the darkness of the entire night, and Bei Mingcheng's face, filled with fierce lust
, flickered before her like a nightmare scene from a silent film. Bei Mingcheng's thrusts grew increasingly brutal, his speed
like a runaway electric motor. His thick glans pressed against the frantically spasming cervix, then suddenly
slammed it open—finally, it opened. The cervix was gripped and sucked with a strangling tightness, hot liquid
gushing against it like a tidal wave. Bei Mingcheng's expression was twisted and terrifying. His hands dug
several finger marks into Cheng Xiaoyu's snow-white, high breasts, roaring as he was about to ejaculate…

With a loud bang, the black door behind Bei Mingcheng flung open. In a
flash, something seemed to pop, and Bei Mingcheng's pupils dilated at least twice their normal size. He looked at Cheng Xiaoyu,
a strange smile slowly spreading across his lips. Then his lustful, crazed expression froze. He
made a few animalistic noises in his throat, then slowly collapsed onto Cheng Xiaoyu. His face, buried in the pillow, brushed against
Cheng Xiaoyu 's ear. Cheng Xiaoyu saw Chu Chen standing panting in the middle of the black doorway,
several streaks of blood on his face, a still-smoking pistol in his right hand.

Cheng Xiaoyu turned to look at Bei Mingcheng, who was lying on top of her. Blood gushed from the back of his head and flowed onto her
face. This beast, his blood was even warm.

Chu Chen walked over, grabbed Bei Mingcheng by the back of his neck, and slammed him to the ground. Bei Mingcheng twitched twice on the ground and
then lay still. Chu Chen removed the underwear from Cheng Xiaoyu's mouth and untied the blood-stained belt binding her.

As soon as Cheng Xiaoyu's arms were released, they went limp to the headboard, her legs still open
, a patch of crimson blood on the sheet between them.

Chu Chen's eyes reddened, he cursed viciously, and
kicked , breaking it and drawing blood. Bei Mingcheng didn't even groan; he was clearly dead. Chu Chen turned and helped
Cheng Xiaoyu sit up, pulling her into his arms and kissing her forehead. "Xiaoyu, don't be afraid, I'm here. No one
will dare hurt you again."

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her head, her hand trembling as she reached out to touch the area between her legs. She touched a sticky, bloody
spot and burst into tears. "Chu Chen, take me to the hospital! I need to save my baby!"

"What baby?"

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at the blood on her hands and then at Chu Chen. "I'm pregnant, but I'm in so much pain right now. I'm bleeding
constantly . Chu Chen, I'm so scared."

Without a word, Chu Chen took off his coat and wrapped it around Cheng Xiaoyu, then picked her up and ran outside. There were two men lying on the ground at the door, their
condition unknown, but Cheng Xiaoyu was oblivious to them.

Outside, the snow was still falling heavily. Chu Chen, panting heavily, carried Cheng Xiaoyu as they ran.
"Xiaoyu, my car is over there. We'll be at the hospital soon. Don't be afraid."

Cheng Xiaoyu's soft hand covered her throbbing, aching abdomen. She looked up at the sky,
the snowflakes falling eagerly onto her face. Why did it snow every Christmas in her memory? Chu Chen held
her as they watched the aurora borealis, Yan Yu promised to spend every Christmas with her amidst a table full of barbecue, she
drew the snowman on the playground as Sanmao, then changed it later… everything was snowing, but
none of the snowfalls were as heavy or as cold as today's.

Upon arriving at the hospital, a group of doctors and nurses surrounded her. She tugged at the doctor's sleeve, repeatedly telling him she was pregnant
, but the doctors ignored her, making clanging noises as if preparing something. A cold needle was inserted
into the instep, and she pulled her foot back in terror. "What is this needle? I'm pregnant, doctor!"

The doctor said, "Don't be nervous. We'll decide whether to induce labor or perform a D&C, but you're safe.
You need to cooperate with our treatment to minimize the harm to your body."

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head. "What did you say? Don't touch me!"

the doctor said. "Don't be so agitated. This embryo can't survive. Your current condition isn't
suitable for general anesthesia; only local anesthesia is possible, so you need to cooperate."

Cheng Xiaoyu, of course, refused to cooperate. She wouldn't let them touch her; she wanted them to save her child, not
harm it. They wouldn't just leave after treating her. Seeing that there was no way to communicate with Cheng Xiaoyu in the current situation, the doctor
directly instructed the nurse to tie Cheng Xiaoyu's legs to the frame of the gynecological bed, and
injected .

Cheng Xiaoyu, disheveled and tear-streaked, was hitting and screaming, "Chu Chen! Where are you?
Help ! Chu Chen!"

Chu Chen immediately pushed open the operating room door and rushed in. "Xiaoyu, what's wrong!"

Cheng Xiaoyu cried, "They're trying to hurt me! Take me away!"

The doctor frowned. "Sigh, why did you come in? Well, since you're here, try to calm the patient down.
She's too agitated. The surgery is necessary."

Chu Chen came over and hugged Cheng Xiaoyu, burying her face in his chest. "Xiaoyu, it's okay, it'll be
over soon. Be good, I'm here, don't be afraid."

Cheng Xiaoyu angrily pounded on Chu Chen's chest. "What did you say! Take me away! I didn't ask you
to bring me here for an abortion!"

Chu Chen didn't speak, only held her tightly. His hot tears silently fell onto Cheng Xiaoyu's head.
How could his little bunny suffer like this? That man wouldn't die a thousand times over!

No matter how much Cheng Xiaoyu struggled and resisted, the surgery was finally performed. Even though she was under local anesthesia,
Cheng Xiaoyu still felt pain, as if she had been churned in a blender. Chu Chen kept covering her eyes
to prevent her from seeing, but she still saw it: red and white substances flowing through a transparent tube into
a small, filthy box at the bottom of the machine, like a garbage can. Her child had become
a bloody mess flowing into that garbage can.

She didn't know when it started, but the sky outside gradually brightened, but Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes only
saw the heavy darkness of a snowy night. She cried until she was exhausted and her voice was hoarse; she was too weak to utter a single word
, only able to lean against Chu Chen's chest and weep silently.

"Yan Yu, I'm sorry, I lost our baby."

Chapter 153 Breaking the Impasse

Cheng Xiaoyu felt very lucky. Finding a boyfriend whose temperament and personality matched hers was already
difficult enough, and Chu Chen spoiled her so much, wanting to give her the stars and the moon to make her happy. At first, Cheng Xiaoyu
was reluctant to spend too much of Chu Chen's money, fearing he would look down on her. However, after they became intimate, Chu Chen stopped listening to her
, saying that she was his woman and it was only natural for her to wear his clothes and use his things. They had a few
minor , but Cheng Xiaoyu eventually gave in. She figured she was definitely going to be with Chu Chen for life,
so spending his money now was like spending it in advance. Besides, who doesn't like wearing nice clothes and using nice things? Of

course, they also argued, but in retrospect, it was all about things that were so absurd they were almost laughable.
For example, they once got angry about Jay Chou's looks. Cheng Xiaoyu said that although Jay Chou wasn't conventionally
handsome, his charisma made him handsome, while Chu Chen insisted that Jay Chou was ugly. Unable to win the argument,
Cheng Xiaoyu stormed out of a restaurant while they were eating. Chu Chen chased after her and tried to coax her
for a long time, but she ignored him. Finally, Chu Chen apologized with an ice cream cone, saying that Jay Chou was very handsome, and only then did Cheng Xiaoyu cheer up.

They only had one serious argument, which started at a company dinner.
Xiao Zhang drunk, patted Chu Chen on the shoulder and brought up the issue of invoices, even claiming he played
a part in Chu Chen winning over Cheng Xiaoyu. Chu Chen looked embarrassed. Cheng Xiaoyu, sensing the tension, pressured Chu Chen to tell
her the truth, which he couldn't hide any longer.

Knowing that Chu Chen had made Xiao Zhang tear up the missing invoices, Cheng Xiaoyu was furious. She
ignored Chu Chen for days, making him sleep in the guest room and treating him like he wasn't there. She wasn't just
angry about the incident; she felt Chu Chen was too calculating, and she felt like a fool being manipulated. Seeing
Cheng Xiaoyu immediately deflated, looking pitiful and listless like an abandoned puppy. Cheng Xiaoyu
couldn't bear to see Chu Chen like this for more than a few days; she felt deeply sorry for him.

Cheng Xiaoyu said to Chu Chen, "It's not because of anything else. You can play tricks on others, that's your skill,
but when you do this to me, it makes me uncomfortable. I like you sincerely and openly.
I would never deliberately do anything to make you think anything of me. Liking someone is about the heart, not manipulation."

Chu Chen smiled and said, "I admit I used some methods when I was pursuing you, but who told you to ignore me back then
? I assure you, my feelings for you are genuine, not manipulative. If you don't believe me, feel how fast my heart is beating
." As he spoke, Chu Chen grabbed Cheng Xiaoyu's hand and placed it on his chest.

Cheng Xiaoyu frowned and punched his chest lightly. "A fast heartbeat only proves you're lying."

Chu Chen said, "Xiaoyu, maybe I'm not as simple and direct as you, but my feelings for you
are absolutely genuine. Just because I don't say something doesn't mean I haven't thought about it. Because I grew up in that kind of family,
I'm actually a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to relationships. I won't easily get together with any girl, and I certainly won't easily break up with her.
I feel that if I have a family, it must be happy; otherwise, I'd rather grow old alone. I'm not
joking . If you ever leave me, my heart definitely won't beat anymore." "It'll beat slower and slower until
it stops, because there's probably nothing left in the world to stimulate it to keep beating,"

Cheng Xiaoyu said. "Don't talk nonsense."

Chu Chen smiled and hugged Cheng Xiaoyu. "Okay, I won't talk nonsense anymore. Baby, I've missed you so much these past few days, I
've even lost my appetite."

Cheng Xiaoyu also hugged Chu Chen's waist, burying her face in his chest and rubbing against him. "I missed you so much too. But
you 're not allowed to scheme against me like that again, or I won't be with you anymore."

Chu Chen quickly and sincerely promised that he would obey the imperial decree from now on, and the little storm was finally over, and
the two made up.

Afterwards, Cheng Xiaoyu thought about it and realized that Chu Chen was indeed devoted to her, and she had been too demanding.
Actually, she loved him so much, tormenting him was just tormenting herself, so why bother? She should restrain her temper in the future
.

This incident truly startled Chu Chen. He realized his little rabbit could turn on him in an instant when angry
. He knew every woman hated being lied to, but he never imagined Cheng Xiaoyu might
break up . Their relationship had deepened over time,
and he couldn't imagine how he would live if Cheng Xiaoyu were to leave him for any reason.

Later, Cheng Xiaoyu met Chu Chen's mother and younger brother. Chu Chen's mother was very young, much younger and prettier than Cheng Xiaoyu's
mother . Cheng Xiaoyu was about to say, "Auntie, you look so young!" when she suddenly remembered
why Chu Chen's mother looked so young and quickly stopped herself, only calling her "Auntie." Chu's mother was an elegant and beautiful woman,
and she was kind to Cheng Xiaoyu; the two got along quite well. Chu Chen's younger brother was a handsome young man, just like Chu Chen,
but he didn't look particularly like him, and their relationship seemed just average. Cheng Xiaoyu secretly told
herself that after marrying Chu Chen, she would definitely give him two lovely children, a lively, happy
, and beautiful home filled with deep family affection, so that he would never again feel deep down that he had no home.

They even went to Yunnan together that summer. Along the sapphire-blue banks of Lijiang, azaleas bloomed in abundance
, and quaint little inns were built along the river. They leaned against the bamboo railing, watching the orange-red
hues reflected in the clear river water—a scene of breathtaking beauty. Schools of small red fish swam to and fro, seemingly performing a
wondrous dance. Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu embraced and kissed in the sweet breeze of a summer evening. At that moment,
Cheng Xiaoyu felt that her life was perfectly happy because of Chu Chen. Little did she know that this happiness
would only last a year. A year later, many hardships and setbacks awaited her. People who are immersed in sweet
happiness are often not strong enough. Many years later, Cheng Xiaoyu understood that if her heart continued to struggle in darkness,
her life would forever be a cycle of misfortune. This principle, though simple in words, was
a lesson she learned through blood and tears.

A year later, Chu Chen had been promoted from Technical Director to Vice President of the company, and he and Cheng Xiaoyu were
inseparable, their relationship growing stronger. Cheng Xiaoyu had kept her cohabitation with Chu Chen a secret from her parents, but
after her mother's factory implemented an early retirement policy. Her mother, whose health was already poor,
was eligible for early retirement. Feeling a bit unaccustomed to being idle at home, her mother suggested to Cheng Xiaoyu that they go to Qingcheng
for a couple of days. Cheng Xiaoyu hesitated for a while before finally revealing that she was now living with Chu Chen. Although
her mother was a little unhappy, there was nothing she could do. These young people these days were nothing like their generation; living
together was fine, anyway, Chu Chen seemed like a good young man.

After Cheng's mother arrived in Qingcheng, Chu Chen took two days off to spend with her. He also told her that his mother
knew he was there and wanted to treat her to a meal. Cheng's mother thought that the two children had been together for almost two years, and
it was only right for their parents to meet, so she agreed.

That evening, Chu Chen accompanied Cheng Xiaoyu and her mother shopping before going to a restaurant. Just as the waiter poured tea,
Chu's mother pushed open the door and walked in. Chu's mother's name was Xi Rong. She was a beauty in her youth and still
a beautiful woman now. Today, she was wearing a well-tailored navy blue suit and was standing at the door, looking around. Chu Chen
quickly stood up and waved to his mother. Chu's mother smiled and walked over, but her smile froze as she got closer
. Cheng's mother also looked up at Xi Rong, her expression very unpleasant. Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu naturally noticed something was wrong,
but they didn't know what was going on.

Chu Chen said, "Aunt Zhou, this is my mom."

Cheng's mother said, "She's your mom?!"

Chu Chen nodded. "Auntie, you...know each other?"

Cheng's mother angrily turned her head to the other side, fuming for a few seconds before standing up and pulling
Cheng Xiaoyu outside.

Cheng Xiaoyu stumbled as she was dragged. "Mom, what are you doing?"

Cheng's mother glared at her with a dark expression. "Come with me."

Cheng Xiaoyu didn't dare speak for a moment. Her mother often nagged and scolded her, but she
had never seen her face so bad. Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Chu Chen for help. Chu Chen could tell from this that his mother and Cheng Xiaoyu's mother
definitely had a grudge, and a serious one at that. He could only give Cheng Xiaoyu a look, signaling her to go with her mother first;
it would be worse to argue here. Having spent so much time together, they were already of one mind. Chu Chen gave
Cheng Xiaoyu meaningful look, and she could only helplessly turn back and call out as she walked away, "Auntie, I
'm leaving now."

Cheng's mother said sternly, "Don't call her 'Auntie'!" Xi

Rong stood there without saying a word.

Cheng Xiaoyu was startled and could only follow her mother out silently.

Sitting in the taxi, Cheng Xiaoyu asked her mother what was wrong; it was so impolite to leave without saying a word.

Cheng's mother remained silent for a while before turning to look at Cheng Xiaoyu, "Is Chu Chen a year older than you?"

Cheng Xiaoyu nodded, puzzled, "Yes."

"Really a year older than you?"

"He's a year older."

Mrs. Cheng's hands tightened on her knees, she blinked, and took a deep breath. "You can't be with
Chu Chen."

Cheng Xiaoyu panicked at these words. Even if something was wrong, she couldn't say something like that! Who else could she be
with !

Chu Chen watched as Mrs. Cheng pulled Cheng Xiaoyu out of the restaurant and into a taxi. Only then did he turn to his mother, who was sitting blankly in her
chair . "Mom, do you know Cheng Xiaoyu's mother? What's going on?"

Mrs. Chu murmured. "Cheng Xiaoyu's father is called Cheng Jianping, right?" Chu

Chen nodded. He
remembered .

Chu's mother's eyes reddened. "Her surname is Cheng, but you told me her family is from Liucheng.
How could I have imagined that..."

Chu Chen said, "Mom, can't you just say what you mean? What's wrong with her surname being Cheng? What's wrong with being from Liucheng? Does
Xiaoyu 's family have some kind of grudge against our family?"

Chu's mother shook her head. "It's not a grudge. Son, you...you can't be with Cheng Xiaoyu."

Chu Chen became anxious upon hearing this. "What do you mean you can't be together! Even if there were things in the past, aren't they all
in the past ?"

Chu's mother's eyes reddened. "It's not something else. Xiaochen, you know your father...he used to be my
high school teacher, and you, you are..." Chu's mother couldn't finish her sentence and lowered her head, choking back sobs.

Chu Chen was stunned. The most unimaginable possibility appeared in his mind. Cheng Xiaoyu
had told her father was a high school Chinese teacher who had taught all his life and was a bit dull. But how could it be,
how could it be what he thought!

Chapter 154 Little Ostrich, Don't Go Yan Yu slept very poorly all night, waking up from
a nightmare . He looked out the window at the weather; it had stopped snowing, and the sky was a
gloomy gray. In a flash, Yan Yu forgot most of his dream, only remembering that Cheng Xiaoyu seemed to be
calling him repeatedly.

Restless, Yan Yu got up, dressed, and washed his face. After barely managing to finish breakfast with his parents, he said he
had work to do and left. Arriving at rush hour, he was stuck in traffic, and Yan Yu pounded the steering wheel in frustration. Although
he wasn't sure, he had a feeling that Cheng Xiaoyu was pregnant; if not, he thought he would be quite disappointed. Even if Yan Yu tried to
convince himself, he knew that his relationship with Cheng Xiaoyu was already precarious, but if they had a child, they
would never be separated again.

Yan Yu finally managed to drive to the apartment building. Too lazy to wait for the elevator, he rushed upstairs,
unlocked the door, and found the apartment quiet. He changed into slippers and opened the bedroom door. The bed was empty, only
the sheets were neatly made. Yan Yu's heart skipped a beat. He called Cheng Xiaoyu's name again and checked the bathroom, kitchen, and
study, but no one was there. Yan Yu told himself Cheng Xiaoyu might have gone out for breakfast, even though he
knew that lazy girl never went out for breakfast. His phone, which he had dropped the night before, was still lying there. Yan Yu
picked it up, put in the battery, and pressed the power button. Luckily, it still turned on. Yan Yu dialed the number, but Cheng Xiaoyu's phone was off.
Yan Yu started to panic. Yesterday, she had clearly promised to wait for him to go to the hospital together. Cheng Xiaoyu wasn't the
type to break promises easily; she wouldn't agree to do something she didn't want to do. Could it be that she… could it be that she…
? Yan Yu picked up the phone and dialed again, but of course, it was still off. Yan Yu paced back and forth in the living room
, phone in hand, before opening his contacts and finding the name "Chu Chen." He had saved Chu Chen's
number , but had never called. Yan Yu dialed the number, but Chu Chen's phone was switched off.

Sitting on the sofa, Yan Yu unconsciously bit his clenched fist. After a few seconds of hesitation, he went out, got in his
car, and drove to Rongcheng No. 1 Hospital. "Cheng Xiaoyu, if you really went behind my back to have an abortion, I will never forgive you."

At the hospital's gynecology department, Yan Yu frantically searched for Cheng Xiaoyu's name, almost getting chased
away by nurses wiping him off with mops. He said he just wanted to know if anyone named Cheng Xiaoyu had come for a checkup since last night,
but no one was willing to help him, saying they couldn't disclose patient privacy. Frustrated, Yan Yu called Fang Fei for
help. Fang Fei came; since they were both doctors at the same hospital, Fang Fei explained the situation
to them, and the nurses checked the patient records from last night until now. Cheng Xiaoyu's name wasn't there.

Fang Fei thanked the person and pulled Yan Yu aside. "What happened between you and Cheng Xiaoyu?"

Yan Yu didn't answer her at all, only saying, "I'll go look at other hospitals." Then he turned and ran away
.

Yan Yu went to Rongcheng Second Hospital, but still couldn't find her, and they still refused to help him check the medical records.
Just thinking that Cheng Xiaoyu might be lying on an operating table in some hospital, about to have her child removed, made Yan Yu's
mind go blank with anxiety. He insisted on going into the abortion ward to see if Cheng Xiaoyu was there, but in the end, he was dragged
out by security guards. Yan Yu knew this wasn't a solution, so he forced himself to calm down and called acquaintances in the hospital
to ask around. But there were dozens of hospitals, big and small, in Rongcheng, not counting the small clinics. It wasn't going to be
easy to find her. Yan Yu received no news for a while, so he drove from hospital to hospital, calling out Cheng Xiaoyu's
name as he searched through the pungent smell of disinfectant. The doctors, nurses, and patients walking by seemed like
many unseen shadows, their mouths opening and closing, seemingly muttering something unintelligible. If Cheng Xiaoyu had really gone for an abortion,
it would have been over by now. Yan Yu refused to consider that possibility, his heart filled with desolation as he searched hospital after hospital.
When the nurses wouldn't let him in, he called out Cheng Xiaoyu's name at each room door. Cheng Xiaoyu, Cheng Xiaoyu,
where are ? You disappeared at a time like this, how could you be so cruel to me?

Cheng Xiaoyu lay quietly on the hospital bed, the IV drip slowly seeping into her veins. She
was exhausted, but couldn't sleep, nor did she want to; she knew she would have nightmares if she did. Chu Chen had left, saying he'd be back in two or three
hours . How many hours had passed? She didn't know.

Later, Chu Chen returned, entered the ward, kissed her forehead, stroked her hair, and then sat by
the bed, holding her hand and asking, "Xiaoyu, does it still hurt?"

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head.

Chu Chen said, "You're in such a bad mood right now, I shouldn't be telling you this, but it's urgent, so
Xiaoyu, you have to listen to me. You know, Bei Mingcheng is dead, and the local police should find out soon, they might
arrest me..."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiaoyu became agitated. "But you did this to save me! Let them arrest me!"

Chu Chen pressed his finger to Cheng Xiaoyu's lips. "Don't rush, let me finish. Bei Mingcheng is a
ruthless figure in the Rongcheng underworld. Things won't be so easily resolved. I've already spoken to my grandfather, and he said he's already sent someone to
pick me up on a noon flight. Even if I'm convicted in this case, I have to go back to Qingcheng.
Otherwise, he can't protect me if anything happens. Besides, we have to be wary of Bei Mingcheng's men. Xiaoyu, come back with me.
It's not safe for you to stay here."

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding, a single, glistening tear rolling
down .

Chu Chen wiped away her tears. "Xiaoyu, leave here, everything will be alright."

"...Will you go to jail?"

"Bei Mingcheng does all sorts of bad things—smuggling, drug trafficking, you name it. Legally, he deserves to die countless times. My grandfather
won't let me go to jail, don't worry."

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoyu felt a little relieved, but thinking of last night, the baby in her belly, and Yan Yu,
her tears flowed like a broken string of pearls. She turned and buried her face in the pillow,
sobbing . Seeing her like this, Chu Chen felt his heart break. He helped Cheng Xiaoyu sit up, pulled her into his arms, and
stroked her back, repeatedly saying, "Little rabbit, it's all over, it's alright."

Cheng Xiaoyu felt as if a huge hole had been torn in her heart. She hugged Chu Chen's neck and began to
wail . As she cried, she vaguely saw someone standing outside the door through the glass. Cheng Xiaoyu rubbed her eyes;
it was Yan Yu, glaring at her fiercely through the glass.

Yan Yu entered, shoved Chu Chen aside, and stared at Cheng Xiaoyu, saying, "Where's the child?"

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Yan Yu, her face pale, unable to speak.

Yan Yu grabbed Cheng Xiaoyu's shoulders and shoved her a few times. "I'm asking you, where's the baby?"

Chu Chen pushed Yan Yu away and shielded Cheng Xiaoyu behind him. "Don't touch her!"

Yan Yu stepped forward and grabbed Chu Chen's collar. "You bastard, I should kill you!"

Chu Chen couldn't stand being called a bastard. Seeing that the two were about to fight again, Cheng Xiaoyu
closed her eyes in pain. "Yan Yu, I've already aborted the baby."

Yan Yu paused, pushed Chu Chen away, and turned to look at Cheng Xiaoyu. "You lied to me!"

Cheng Xiaoyu said. "Chu Chen, please go out for a moment. Let me talk to him."

Chu Chen didn't move. "I'm afraid he'll hurt you."

Cheng Xiaoyu said. "He won't. Go out. How can I explain things to him while you're here? Don't worry,
it's just a few words."

Chu Chen left, leaving only Yan Yu and Cheng Xiaoyu in the room.

Yan Yu gritted her teeth and said, "Are you lying to me? You want to leave me, so you're deliberately lying to me, aren't you? Are you
not pregnant? Or are you pregnant but didn't have an abortion, or..." Yan Yu couldn't continue. What
other possibilities were there? The third possibility was that you were pregnant and had an abortion.

Cheng Xiaoyu wiped away her tears and handed Yan Yu a receipt from the bedside table. The receipt clearly stated the patient's
name: Cheng Xiaoyu, and the cost of the painless micro-tube abortion: 540 yuan.

Yan Yu held the thin piece of paper, his hands trembling. Enraged, he crumpled it into a ball
and tore it to shreds. "Cheng Xiaoyu, you promised me! You promised me!"

Cheng Xiaoyu's tear-streaked face forced a pale smile. "So what if I promised? Yan Yu,
how many times have I lied to you, from the past until now? Why did you believe me?"

Yan Yu raised his hand to slap her, but Cheng Xiaoyu closed her eyes. Looking at her pale, haggard face, even
her lips were white, Yan Yu couldn't bring himself to do it. No one knew how much pain he was in; no one
knew. Yan Yu slowly lowered his hand. "You just want to break up with me,
do . You're heartless."

Cheng Xiaoyu hardened her heart and said, "With a child, we'll be entangled forever."

Yan Yu gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes, you're right. Cheng Xiaoyu, this time I will never forgive you.
As you wish, we're breaking up."

The two stared at each other, and Yan Yu felt tears welling up in his eyes. He had poured
so much heart into this woman, and this was the end. Yan Yu turned and walked out of the ward without a word.

Listening to the sound of Yan Yu's leather shoes fading into the distance, Cheng Xiaoyu collapsed onto the hospital bed, sobbing. Yan Yu, I'm sorry
for lying to you like this. But we shouldn't have been together in the first place. Whether it was my betrayal, your parents' dislike of me,
or my own heart that I couldn't even understand, all of this destined us to be apart. My
indecisiveness has already caused you too much suffering. It's better for you to give up completely this time and start a new life.

When it was time for dinner, Chu Chen asked her what she wanted to eat. Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head; she didn't want anything to eat,
she practically wanted to die.

Chu Chen didn't try to persuade her further. "If you don't want to eat, let's leave now. The people the old man sent have arrived."

Chu Chen quickly packed her things, and Cheng Xiaoyu took off her hospital gown and changed into the new clothes Chu Chen had bought for her. She
had only taken one step out of bed when she felt a tearing pain in her lower body. Chu Chen could tell from her expression that she was still in pain,
so he carried her downstairs and put her in the car. It was a fairly large van, and besides her and Chu Chen
, there were five other people in the car. Those people didn't speak the whole way, but they were very vigilant, watching the outside.

Cheng Xiaoyu leaned against Chu Chen's chest, watching the scenery rushing past the window, thinking that she was about to leave Rongcheng, and she
would probably never come back in this lifetime.

Cheng Xiaoyu was silent for a moment before speaking, "Chu Chen, I need to go back to my apartment. My documents are all
there ."

The van stopped downstairs at the apartment building. Chu Chen wanted to accompany her, but Cheng Xiaoyu insisted on going, so Chu Chen had to let her
go up by herself. Cheng Xiaoyu's bag was still at Bei Mingcheng's house, probably already seized by the police as evidence. She
got a spare key from the building manager and opened her door.

After entering, Cheng Xiaoyu held onto the handrail and went up to the second floor. She felt pain as she climbed the stairs, and by the
time she finished, she was covered in sweat. She went into the study and took all her documents out of the drawer, then went into the master bedroom
on the second floor . This room held many sweet memories of her and Yan Yu, as well as some bad
ones. A house ultimately needs to be lived in; if no one lives there, even if it's clean, it will look desolate. Her
black polka-dot suitcase was still on top of the wardrobe. She took it down, opened the suitcase, put her documents inside, and then randomly picked out a couple of items...
She packed her clothes into her suitcase, then rummaged through the depths of the closet and pulled out her long-neglected little ostrich doll. The ostrich
seemed a bit worn; the pink feathers on its head had faded, but its expression remained blank
, as if nothing had happened. Cheng Xiaoyu stroked the ostrich and then put it back in the suitcase.
In the dressing table drawer were some jewelry Cheng Xiaoyu no longer wore, mostly inexpensive trinkets
from a year or two ago, which now seemed childish, like her taste from a past life. From
the very back of those boxes, Cheng Xiaoyu pulled out a small pendant—a Pisces pendant given to her by Yan Yu, representing the inseparable love and devotion
of Pisces. Looking at the two little fish, tears welled up in Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes again. She wiped away her tears,
carefully placed the pendant in its box, put it away in her suitcase, and then carried the suitcase downstairs.

She hesitated for a moment as she walked into the living room, then pushed open the door to the downstairs bedroom, wanting to take one last look.
But as soon as she opened the door, she saw Yan Yu standing in the doorway.

Cheng Xiaoyu was startled. "What are you doing here?"

Yan Yu didn't answer, his eyes reddening as he stared at her.

Cheng Xiaoyu was silent for a moment, then turned away, picking up her suitcase and heading towards the door. Just as her hand touched the doorknob
, Yan Yu hugged her from behind. His embrace was strong yet trembling, his breath, reeking of alcohol, brushing against her neck .
"Little ostrich, don't go, please, don't go." He had seen Cheng Xiaoyu soaked in a pool of blood; he knew
that feeling of the world turning completely black and chilling to the bone. He could only utter such a humble plea when he was drunk.

Tears streamed down Cheng Xiaoyu's face. "Yan Yu, you're drunk," she said.

"I'm not drunk. The past... forget it all, forget it all. Let's start over."

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head. "It's impossible to start over."

Yan Yu said, "Maybe, of course it's possible. As long as you don't leave, as long as you love me, we can
start ."

Cheng Xiaoyu closed her eyes. "But I don't love you, Yan Yu, I don't love you."

The body that was hugging her from behind froze for a moment, and after a long while, he spoke again, "But he's your brother, you
can't love him. So don't go, Xiaoyu, don't go, how will I live alone if you leave?"

Yan Yu's voice sounded bitter and helpless. Cheng Xiaoyu felt an unbearable pain in her heart. She bit
her lip , used all her strength to pry open Yan Yu's hands that were wrapped around her waist, and turned the handle to open the door.

"Cheng Xiaoyu, you'd rather maintain a clandestine relationship with Chu Chen for the rest of your life than leave me!"

"Yes."

"Don't you even think about your parents?"

"That's my business, none of your concern."

"Cheng Xiaoyu!"

Cheng Xiaoyu picked up her suitcase and walked out the door.

"Cheng Xiaoyu! Go! If you leave today, I'll find a good woman tomorrow, get married, have children
, and live happily ever after. I won't give you any chance to regret it!"

Cheng Xiaoyu turned around and looked at Yan Yu through the door frame. Tears streamed down her face, but she remained silent and
expressionless. Yan Yu shed tears, crying in a way that was neither handsome nor manly. Cheng Xiaoyu reached out
and gently pushed the door. The black door slowly closed between them with a loud bang that made everyone's hearts ache.
If God had once closed a window and opened a door for Cheng Xiaoyu, then now, she had
closed that door herself.

Chapter 155 The Past of the Past Over

twenty years ago, Cheng Jianping returned to his hometown to teach after graduating from teachers' college. Through an introduction, he met Zhou
Dongmei, the same age as him, who worked as an accountant in a factory and had graduated from a vocational school. After dating for a few months,
Cheng Jianping's parents proposed marriage to Zhou's family
. Cheng Jianping initially wanted to wait but couldn't give a good reason, so he married Zhou Dongmei. After living together, Cheng Jianping felt that while Zhou Dongmei wasn't bad,
they didn't really get along. However, people in those days didn't care so much; once married, they simply lived a dutiful life together
.

Jiang Rong was raised by her maternal grandparents. Her mother had remarried and hadn't
visited . As for her father, she supposedly saw him when she was a baby, but she didn't remember him. Jiang Rong
was withdrawn and unsociable, but her delicate and beautiful appearance was endearing. Many boys in her class secretly liked her, but the girls
didn't seem to like her much. She had few friends, and her grades were average, except for Chinese, which she excelled in. Jiang Rong
loved reading, especially novels; she felt it was a world completely different from her own,
a world where she could project all her unspoken emotions. She really liked their new Chinese teacher,
young and refined, yet far more well-read than she was, and his lectures were engaging.
She diligently wrote her weekly Chinese journal entries; Mr. Cheng required at least 800
words without even realizing it. Cheng Jianping also liked this student; she was beautiful, her writing neat and spirited.
He always read her work carefully. Gradually, their feelings subtly changed, so subtly
that Cheng Jianping himself didn't even notice at first.

Cheng Jianping taught her from the second year of high school to the third, and the two of them carefully maintained a superficial
balance, like dancing on a tightrope. But no one is perfect, and once feelings develop, they become increasingly greedy, craving more tenderness. They had
crossed the line. Cheng Jianping felt guilty and uneasy, yet reluctant to let go. Jiang Rong, however, hugged him and said she had no regrets. She
said Cheng Jianping made her feel that life had meaning, and no matter what happened in the future, she would not regret it. But

secrets don't stay hidden forever. Cheng Jianping, at heart a scholar, wasn't good at hiding his true intentions,
and Jiang Rong was still an innocent child. Before long, Zhou Dongmei saw through their deception. When Zhou Dongmei found out
, she made a scene at the school and even slapped Jiang Rong several times. Jiang Rong, plagued by gossip, couldn't continue her studies and hid
at home, even missing her graduation ceremony. The school, wanting to avoid trouble, gave Jiang Rong a diploma.
As for Cheng Jianping, the young teacher with questionable conduct—in those days, dismissal wasn't common—he was transferred to
a junior high school in a neighboring city. Cheng Jianping went to the neighboring city dejectedly; he couldn't even say
goodbye to Jiang Rong.

Jiang Rong returned home, her already withdrawn personality becoming even more isolated. She even contemplated suicide, but
lacked the courage . Her mother was her maternal grandparents' youngest daughter; both were now over eighty,
their minds trembling and fading. It wasn't until Jiang Rong was four or five months pregnant that the elderly couple realized what was happening.
When her mother returned, she slapped Jiang Rong across the face, accusing her of lacking self-respect. Jiang Rong immediately
fought , yelling, "Why did you hit me! How much self-respect do you have?!" Jiang Rong's mother
, trembling with anger as she touched the blood on her face, said, "I'll pretend I never gave birth to you," and then left with her suitcase. Her mother truly meant
it, only calling Xi Jinming once, saying, "Your daughter just graduated high school and is already pregnant. I can't
control her. You can decide for yourself whether you want to help her or not!"

Xi Jinming had wronged many women in his life, but when it came to children, he only had Xi Pin and
that girl named Jiang Rong. Back then, Jiang Rong's mother wasn't exactly a virtuous woman, and Xi Jinming had some doubts about
whether the child was his. His wife at home was making a scene, refusing to let him in, so Xi Jinming let it go. Now,
so many years have passed, and he had completely forgotten about that little girl. But upon hearing this news,
Xi Jinming's heart was stirred. He was older now, and his perspective was different. This
girl was truly pitiful, suffering the consequences of being without parental guidance. Xi Jinming personally went to that small town. The moment he saw Jiang
Rong, he was almost certain she was his daughter. Her stubborn expression resembled his own, and she was
so beautiful. If he didn't take care of her, who knew what would become of her with a child? Xi Jinming took Jiang Rong
abroad for a DNA test. The paternity test confirmed that he and Jiang Rong were indeed father and daughter. He sent Jiang Rong back to
her maternal grandparents' house, leaving them some money, saying he would come to pick her up after she gave birth.

That winter, Jiang Rong gave birth to a baby boy. Watching her chubby little hands reaching out to
her , so small yet so full of life, Jiang Rong's heart gradually calmed down. Jiang Rong named her child
Jiang Chen. Holding his tiny, milky-smelling body and kissing his soft little face every day brought her immense satisfaction;
she didn't think about anything else.

When Jiang Chen was almost six months old, Xi Jinming came again, this time with an assistant. The three of them had a
meal together. After returning home, Xi Jinming asked her what she thought of his assistant, Xiao Chu. Jiang Rong said she didn't remember him much. Xi Jinming
said, "You two should spend the next few days getting to know each other well. If you feel you get along, go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get your marriage certificate in a few days."

Because of her life experiences, which were vastly different from most girls, Jiang Rong's mental age was much more mature than her actual age
. She considered it for one night and then acquiesced to Xi Jinming's arrangement. The two elderly people were too old and poor; she shouldn't
burden them any further. She had considered raising Xiao Chen alone, but the cost would be
too high . Well, only those who have experienced it truly understand.

Three days later, Jiang Rong and her assistant, Chu, went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate. Then, as Xi Jinming's daughter and
son-in-law she followed him back to Qingcheng. From then on, she was called Xi Rong, and her son was named Chu Chen.

Little Chu Chen grew up day by day. Sometimes, Xi Rong would try to find Cheng Jianping's shadow in his face, but she found that
Cheng Jianping's image was gradually becoming blurred in her mind. Looking back now, she couldn't help but regret it, but what was
the use of regret? So she told herself not to regret it; this was the life she had to accept. Xi Rong and her husband had
a bad , which was understandable. Any man who married under such circumstances would feel humiliated. But
who told him to want to achieve something in Xi Jinming's company? Who told him to want to enjoy the wealth and luxury of the Xi family? There always had to be
a price to pay. Later, after Xi Rong gave birth to her second son, her relationship with her husband improved somewhat. Now, more than twenty
years later, they were tired of arguing. They weren't particularly affectionate anymore; they were just an old married couple keeping each other company.

Xi Rong's personality was no longer as stubborn and aloof as before. She was older and had gradually
seen through . She had a good impression of Cheng Xiaoyu; the girl was simple and genuine. Although her family's financial
situation was average, Chu Chen said it was a simple family with harmonious parents, which was good enough. She only hoped her son
would live a peaceful life. But she never expected things to turn out this way. She also saw Cheng Jianping, who
was nearly fifty years old, with scattered gray hairs and deep wrinkles on his forehead
. He looked completely different from the refined, thin young Chinese teacher he used to be. Zhou Dongmei had gained a lot of weight and aged considerably,
but her anger towards her remained undiminished. Upon hearing that Chu Chen was indeed Cheng Jianping's son, she was so angry she wanted to slap her,
but Chu Chen stopped her.

Chu Chen insisted on getting a DNA test, saying there must have been something wrong. He and Cheng Xiaoyu could never
be siblings. He had only ever loved one girl in his life, and that girl was his sister—how could it be! The DNA
test results showed that Cheng Jianping and he shared a 99.99% genetic similarity, making them extremely close.
Chu Chen didn't know how to face Cheng Jianping, let alone
Cheng Xiaoyu. Cheng Jianping and Zhou Dongmei took Cheng Xiaoyu back to Liucheng. Cheng Xiaoyu cried her eyes out when she left, her gaze towards Chu Chen
filled with .

Xi Rong looked at her son, who sat on the sofa with a deathly pale face, and felt an overwhelming sadness. Was it all her fault that things had turned out this way
? Twenty-five years ago, at 2:30 pm during a drowsy break between classes, in that small,
dark office where students were noisy and playing outside, Xi Rong hugged Cheng Jianping from behind, saying, "
Teacher Cheng, I like you! I really like you! I'm not afraid of anything, I don't care about anything!"

Chapter 156 Returning to Qingcheng

Cheng Xiaoyu and Chu Chen took the plane back to Qingcheng that night. Chu Chen took her to the
small apartment they had lived in together. He had lived there alone since Cheng Xiaoyu left.

Cheng Xiaoyu stood at the door, hesitant to go in. Two years had passed, and the small apartment hadn't
changed . She could almost see the two young people laughing and playing together on the sofa. Chu Chen
lived there alone, and every day he could think about those things from the past. How painful it was.

Cheng Xiaoyu lay dejectedly in the bedroom she and Chu Chen used to share. The thought of Bei Mingcheng filled her
with disgust and made her feel dirty. The thought of the little life that had only lived forty-odd days
brought uncontrollable tears. She couldn't even bear to think of Yan Yu; it felt like a needle was piercing
her heart.

Chu Chen made her chicken soup, but Cheng Xiaoyu just silently shook her head; she couldn't drink it.

Chu Chen said, "I heard that a miscarriage is like postpartum confinement; you need to take good care of yourself."

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoyu's tears flowed again. Chu Chen quickly said, "Okay, don't cry, I won't say
anything more. What do you want to eat now? I'll make it."

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head again. She hugged Chu Chen's waist, buried her face in his sweater, and silently wept. She
didn't want to eat; she just wanted someone to hold her. Chu Chen silently hugged Cheng Xiaoyu back. His poor
little rabbit, why did she have to suffer so much? If heaven truly wanted to punish, it should be him who suffered.

That night, Cheng Xiaoyu had nightmares and could barely sleep. Chu Chen had no choice but to hold her and lie down
with . She curled up in his arms, her face buried in his chest
, soaking a small patch of his pajamas. She bit her fingers and sobbed, "Chu Chen, I don't know what to do now.
I feel like my heart is shattered into so many pieces, so broken I can't even pick them up again."

Chu Chen hugged Cheng Xiaoyu tightly. "It's all over now. All the bad things are over. I promise you."

The next morning, Chu Chen brought back a middle-aged woman in her forties to take care of her, and then went out again
. When he returned, it was very late, and Cheng Xiaoyu was already asleep. Chu Chen woke Cheng Xiaoyu up and
told that the police might come to question her in a couple of days. She should answer truthfully, but she had to say that
when Chu Chen went in to rescue her, Bei Mingcheng threatened to kill her, and Chu Chen fired the gun in a moment of panic.

Cheng Xiaoyu thought for a moment and said, "Will the police believe me?"

Chu Chen said, "Don't worry, my grandfather is already making arrangements. Besides, that Bei Mingcheng is a notorious criminal—
drug dealer, prostitution ring, loan shark—he's done all sorts of evil. He deserves to be executed a hundred times over. The Rongcheng
police have wanted to deal with him for a long time but haven't had the chance. A man like that doesn't deserve to die."

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her eyes and reached out to take Chu Chen's fingers, which had become slightly cold from being outside for so long.
"I owe you so much, I can never pay it back,"

Chu Chen said. "What's the point of talking about owing each other anything?"

Cheng Xiaoyu said. "He was a living, breathing person after all... Aren't you scared?"

Chu Chen shook his head. "No, I only regret not shooting him a few more times. Xiaoyu, let's not talk about this anymore
."

Cheng Xiaoyu looked up. "Chu Chen, nothing else can happen to you, or I won't be able to handle it."

Chu Chen stroked her hair. "I still have to take care of you. I won't get into trouble."

The next morning, before Cheng Xiaoyu had even woken up, Chu Chen went out. He didn't call Cheng Xiaoyu until that evening
to say that he was in the detention center.

Cheng Xiaoyu panicked upon hearing this. "Didn't your grandfather already make arrangements? I'll go to the police station to see you right now."

Chu Chen reassured her, "Even with arrangements, there are still procedures to follow. I'm a suspect, so I have to be detained before trial.
I'll only be detained for three or four days. Once the case is over, everything will be fine."

Cheng Xiaoyu sobbed, "How could you stay in a place like that?"

Chu Chen said, "Don't cry. It's not as scary as you think. This place is about the same as a cheap
motel . Xiaoyu, be good, don't worry. Take good care of yourself. If anything happens
, just call me. I'll always keep this phone with me."

Chu Chen said this, but he ended up staying inside for over a month before being released. Old Master Xi used many
connections, and the Rongcheng police had been trying to eliminate Bei Mingcheng's criminal gang. Taking advantage of the leaderless situation,
they dismantled the entire gang, arresting and shutting down their operations, and carrying out a very strict crackdown. During this time, Chu Chen
remained in the detention center until the situation in Rongcheng was settled,
at which point the police escorted him to the Rongcheng court for trial. Cheng Xiaoyu's testimony had been prepared in advance, and with the prior arrangement between Old Master Xi and the police, the
verdict was merely a formality—self-defense killing—and she wouldn't go to jail.

Newspapers and magazines reported that a gang that had been entrenched in Rongcheng for many years had been busted by the police, and their
leader, Bei Mingcheng, had died in a gangland feud. Some people in the industry knew this wasn't the whole story, but
everyone minding their own business; Bei Mingcheng's gang was gone, so who cared about his affairs? Outsiders were even
less informed, simply reading it as news. When

Chu Chen returned to Qingcheng, Old Master Xi severely reprimanded him, saying he had acted so
recklessly , and forbidding him from ever going back to Rongcheng again. Although Bei Mingcheng's gang had been wiped out, there was no guarantee
that one or two survivors wouldn't seek revenge. Chu Chen was unconvinced. Bei Mingcheng wasn't a good person;
he just used benefits to win over a group of desperate thugs. Did anyone really want to avenge him? However, since Cheng Xiaoyu
had already returned to Qingcheng with him, he naturally had no reason to go to Rongcheng again.

As soon as Chu Chen returned to the small apartment, Cheng Xiaoyu rushed up and hugged his neck. Chu Chen reached out and stroked
Cheng Xiaoyu's long hair. He thought he would never see her throw herself into his arms like this again in his life.

Cheng Xiaoyu said, "Luckily you're alright. If you had really gone to jail, I could never repay you, even if I died."

"Don't talk about death like that again." Chu Chen lowered his head and looked at Cheng Xiaoyu carefully. "Why have you lost weight again
? You haven't drunk any of the soup that Aunt Li made for you?"

Cheng Xiaoyu said, "You've lost weight too. You couldn't even go home for the New Year. It must be tough being in the detention center, right?"

Chu Chen kissed her forehead. "It's not tough."

For the past month or so, Aunt Li had taken meticulous care of Cheng Xiaoyu, not letting her touch any cold water, and
she hadn't missed a single day of nourishing sweet soup and Chinese medicine. When Cheng Xiaoyu didn't want to drink them, Aunt Li would persuade her to drink some. Aunt Li
had worked as a maid for the Xi family for many years and had practically watched Chu Chen grow up. Now that Chu Chen had entrusted her with such a serious request, she naturally had to
take good care of him. Thanks to Aunt Li, although Cheng Xiaoyu was depressed, she didn't suffer any serious
health problems . She had just become a little thinner due to excessive worry.

For the first two days after returning to Qingcheng, Cheng Xiaoyu was in a terrible mood and didn't want to think about anything. Later, when Chu Chen went to the detention center,
Cheng Xiaoyu didn't dare to ask him on the phone. Now that he was finally back safe and sound, Cheng Xiaoyu asked him how
he knew she had been arrested by Bei Mingcheng that day.

Chu Chen sighed, "Actually, it was just a coincidence. I wish I had gone earlier."

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her head, her hand unconsciously gently cupping her lower abdomen. If only it had been earlier, if that
child were still here...

Seeing that Cheng Xiaoyu was about to cry again, Chu Chen quickly said, "Never mind, let's talk about these things later."

Cheng Xiaoyu said, "It's okay, go ahead and tell me."

It turned out that the last time Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu met before Christmas, Chu Chen bought Cheng Xiaoyu cold medicine and
took her to a restaurant for porridge. While Cheng Xiaoyu was in the restroom, Chu Chen sent a
text message containing a Trojan horse program. Chu Chen took Cheng Xiaoyu's phone from the table and deleted the message
, but the Trojan horse program was already installed. The only way to remove it was to reinstall the phone's operating system or remove the battery.
Otherwise, even if the phone was turned off, Chu Chen could immediately track its location.

Chu Chen installed this program because he felt that Yan Yu's father was so angry that he was hospitalized, and the two of them
would most likely not be able to be together in the future. Based on Chu Chen's understanding of Cheng Xiaoyu, this girl could very well disappear without a
trace . He couldn't bear
the feeling of not knowing where she was, whether she was sad, or even whether she was alive or dead. He had lived that kind of life for over a year, and he was almost going crazy.

Cheng Xiaoyu used a direct charger for her phone, so she never removed the battery. No matter when Chu Chen checked Cheng Xiaoyu's location on
the phone he could always find her. Chu Chen discovered that Cheng Xiaoyu spent most of her time at home. He
knew she must be in a bad mood and didn't want to go out, but he was worried that she would get sick from staying at home all the time. He was also worried that
she couldn't call him, and that she was having a hard time every day.

On Christmas night, before going to bed, Chu Chen habitually checked Cheng Xiaoyu's location on his phone again, only to find that she wasn't home. It was already 12:30 in the morning, and Cheng Xiaoyu's phone location was in a villa community far away
from where she lived .
Chu Chen wondered if Yan Yu had taken her there. Besides, he wouldn't be able to explain himself by calling now
. But looking at the small dot on his phone, Chu Chen's heart inexplicably raced faster and faster.
After waiting for about ten minutes, the phone's location remained unchanged. Finally, Chu Chen
couldn't resist and called. The call went through, but after a few rings, it was disconnected. When Chu Chen called back, the phone was switched off. He also
noticed that Cheng Xiaoyu's phone was no longer listed on the location tracking app.

Chu Chen's heart skipped a beat. He hesitated for a moment, then found Yan Yu's number and called him, but Yan Yu's phone was off.
Chu Chen didn't dare delay any longer. He looked up the address of the upscale residential area on a map, then took a
palm-sized Swiss Army knife from a drawer, put it in his pocket, and went out.

When Chu Chen arrived, he discovered that the area, though called a residential complex, was actually quite large, consisting of rows of two-story villas, with
a considerable distance between them. Chu Chen regretted not bringing anyone with him, but he was also worried
that Cheng Xiaoyu might have already met with an accident. So he stopped the car and searched each villa
one by one. Each time, he would observe and look around from outside the wall for a while before knocking on the door, but either no one was home or he was questioned about what he was doing so late at night .
After searching for a while, Chu Chen felt that this was not a solution. Just as he was thinking of going back and bringing more people, he noticed a figure in the porch of
the .

Bei Mingcheng thought that even if Yan Yu knew the news, it would be tomorrow. He had only asked two people
to guard the door out of caution, but he never expected that this caution would cost him his life. Chu Chen hid in a well-hidden place, and
the two men did not see him at all. Chu Chen felt that there was probably something wrong with this villa, otherwise why would
he have two men guarding outside in the middle of the night? Cheng Xiaoyu might be inside the villa. He wasn't confident he could
take down both men in one fell swoop, and if things got heated, he'd be outnumbered and unable to rescue Cheng Xiaoyu. He climbed over a
blind spot out of their sight into the yard. The ground was covered in snow, so he jumped down without making a sound
and didn't attract their attention.

It was snowing heavily that night. After waiting a while, one of the men said, "It's fucking cold,"
and went inside to use the toilet. Chu Chen, who had been hiding by the side wall, saw that the timing was perfect and quickly moved forward a few steps.
Taking advantage of the remaining man's yawn, he pounced on him and tackled him to the ground. Before the man could even
scream Chu Chen grabbed his head and slammed it hard against the ground, knocking him unconscious.

When the other man came out, he saw his companion sleeping on the stone table beside the porch. He frowned and said,
"Are you crazy? How dare you sleep like that..." Before he could finish speaking, he felt something thin and sharp pressed against his
waist . Chu Chen said from behind him, "Don't scream."

The man replied that he was okay, but his hand stealthily reached towards his side. Chu Chen snapped his wrist with a crack
and then covered his mouth to stifle the scream that escaped his lips. The man could only make whimpering sounds,
cold sweat pouring down his forehead from the pain.

Chu Chen said fiercely, "Trying to play tricks on me? Do you think I wouldn't dare to fight back?"

The man gasped and whispered, "I won't."

Chu Chen's hand reached to his waist, and sure enough, there was a pistol. Chu Chen was even more alarmed. Who were these people?
Cheng Xiaoyu... could something have happened to her?

Chu Chen took the man's gun from his hand and asked, "Is Cheng Xiaoyu inside?"

The man replied, "...I don't know her, there's no such person."

Chu Chen's Swiss Army knife pierced through the man's thick clothing and plunged into his waist. "Do you want to die?!"

The man doubled over in pain, realizing that Chu Chen was truly capable of killing. He hurriedly said, "Yes, Cheng Xiaoyu is inside.
Our boss ordered us to bring her here."

Chu Chen withdrew the blood-stained knife. "Who is your boss?"

"Bei Mingcheng."

Bei Mingcheng... Chu Chen searched his memory for the name. It seemed to be a figure in the Rongcheng underworld.
How could Cheng Xiaoyu be associated with such a person? Chu Chen asked again, "How many people are inside?"

"No one, only our boss."

Chu Chen struck the back of the neck of the man who had doubled over in pain with his elbow, and the man collapsed to the ground
without a sound . Chu Chen put the knife back in his pocket, released the safety from his gun, and went inside. The room on the first floor
was empty. Chu Chen tiptoed up to the second floor. There were three black doors locked from the inside. Chu
Chen leaned close to the door and listened. The sounds inside seemed to be… Chu Chen was startled. He fired a shot at the lock and kicked the door
open. Then he saw a naked man's back and
Cheng Xiaoyu
, tied to the headboard. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, her eyes empty as if she had no soul. Her naked body was forced to sway to the man's rapid rhythm… Chu Chen was furious. He aimed at the back of the man's head and
pulled the trigger. The sound of the bullet hitting a person's body wasn't very loud. He saw bright red blood
gushing from the small wound. Chu Chen's vision turned crimson. Only
then did he realize that he had just fired a shot at this man.

Chu Chen didn't want to dredge up too many painful memories for Cheng Xiaoyu, so he simply recounted the events. After finishing, he said,
"Xiaoyu, I know I shouldn't have spyed on you. Don't be angry."

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head. "If it weren't for you, I might have been dead by the next day. I should thank
you."

Chu Chen reached out and hugged her. "Those things are in the past. From now on, I will protect you with my life."

Cheng Xiaoyu silently hugged Chu Chen's waist. No matter what, Chu Chen, thank goodness you're alright.

Chapter 157: The Past as the End.

Cheng Xiaoyu returned to Liucheng, her mind a mess, yet she tried to stop her parents from arguing. Her father felt guilty towards
his wife and daughter; he wouldn't respond to Zhou Dongmei's scolding, but if she really pushed him too far, he threatened to move out. Zhou Dongmei was so angry she developed high blood pressure and
had to take medication daily; the house was truly shrouded in gloom. Cheng Xiaoyu spent her days hiding in her room, lost in thought.
She listened to her father's and mother's heart-to-heart talks. Her father apologized, her
mother told her no one knew about it, and that it was all in the past, so she shouldn't think about it anymore. But no matter what she heard, it seemed to resonate with her
. Her heart remained in Rongcheng; here, she was nothing more than a walking corpse. She couldn't bear to think of Chu
Chen; the thought brought her heartache. Yet, she couldn't help but think of him; it was as natural as breathing. She could hold her breath,
but she couldn't erase Chu Chen's name from her mind even for a second.

That day, her parents had another argument. Zhou Dongmei cried, "You bastard! You've ruined my life
, and now you've ruined our daughter too! You're a monster!" Cheng Jianping smoked silently. Zhou Dongmei angrily punched him, yelling, "
Say something! You dare to do it but not admit it? Say something!"

Cheng Xiaoyu felt annoyed and distressed. She tried to comfort him, but to no avail. She could only put on a coat and go out.
It was spring now, and many girls were wearing skirts, but Cheng Xiaoyu's heart was still in winter.

Cheng Xiaoyu wandered aimlessly through the streets for a while, then looked up and saw Chu Chen standing
opposite , his face looking so haggard it was heartbreaking.

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Chu Chen for a few seconds, then turned and walked away. Tears streamed down her face as she walked. Chu Chen ran up from behind
and hugged her. They stopped, the familiar scent of each other heartbreaking.

Chu Chen said, "Xiaoyu, I missed you."

Cheng Xiaoyu's tears fell in torrents. She knew she should push Chu Chen away, but she just didn't have the strength.

Chu Chen said, "Xiaoyu, I really can't live without you."

Cheng Xiaoyu shook her head, crying. "You know saying these things will only make us both feel worse."

Chu Chen buried his face in her fair neck. "But you took my heart away, I couldn't help but come."

Cheng Xiaoyu finally couldn't hold back anymore and turned around to hug Chu Chen tightly. Chu Chen, my heart has always remained with
you too.

Overwhelmed with emotion, the two embraced and wept bitterly. Chu Chen said, "Xiaoyu, let's go.
I can't live a single day without you."

Cheng Xiaoyu cried, "The world is vast, but there's nowhere we can go."

"Let's go abroad, live together overseas. We can even change our names, so no one can find
us ."

"Chu Chen, are you crazy!"

"I'm not crazy. Xiaoyu, I don't believe you don't understand. If this continues, I'll truly go crazy!"

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Chu Chen, and suddenly felt her heart, which had been so desolate that it had almost stopped beating
, begin to beat vividly again. Each thump told her that it didn't want to wither
away ; it wanted to live, it wanted to be with Chu Chen, it wanted happiness.

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Chu Chen without speaking, and Chu Chen looked back at her, his eyes filled with longing, pleading, madness, and unease.
"Xiaoyu, come with me, I beg you, come with me!"

What would happen to her parents if she left? What would the neighbors say? Their degrees
wouldn't be ; how would they survive? Even if Chu Chen could support her, would she just
stay at home doing nothing? Far from her family, friends, and everything familiar. All love stories told her that passion
could cool one day. If that day came, she would be too old and dependent on Chu Chen
. Would the guilt of incest and self-loathing break her? And they couldn't have children, never.
Women are sometimes more practical than men because they are inherently more vulnerable and therefore less
courageous. In a matter of seconds, Cheng Xiaoyu considered the possible consequences of such reckless abandon, but her mind
seemed to split in two. One half conjured up all sorts of impossibilities, while the other half was overcome with uncontrollable excitement, telling her to throw
everything aside, regardless of the consequences, just to be with Chu Chen. Because she loved him, she wanted to be with him, even if she regretted it a hundred or a thousand times
later ! She was unfilial, she was selfish, but she couldn't live without Chu Chen, just as
Chu Chen couldn't live without her. She couldn't continue living this hopeless life; it was worse than death.

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Chu Chen and slowly nodded. "Okay, let's go, let's leave all of this behind."

Chu Chen's eyes shone with ecstatic joy. He embraced Cheng Xiaoyu and kissed her face passionately. "That's wonderful,
my little bunny, that's wonderful!"

Cheng Xiaoyu also stood on tiptoe, closed her eyes, and kissed Chu Chen passionately. Her crystal tears slid down her cheeks.
Chu Chen, I truly love you. As long as I have you, I don't want anything else.

Cheng Xiaoyu and Chu Chen had arranged for her to retrieve her ID card and household registration booklet at home. Around 2 or 3 AM, Chu
Chen would wait for her at the park where they had met during the day. They would first take a train to a distant city to get Cheng Xiaoyu's
passport and then they would leave the country immediately. All of Cheng Xiaoyu's documents were kept in her parents' bedroom
. While her parents weren't looking, Cheng Xiaoyu secretly hid her household registration booklet under her pillow. At 11 PM, she turned off the lights and went to sleep
as usual . Around 1 AM, she secretly got up, turned on the lamp, and left a note for her parents. Now
, all was quiet. Cheng Xiaoyu picked up her pen but didn't know what to write. She felt she was doing something wrong, a feeling
akin to breaking a vase as a child and anxiously wondering if she would be beaten at home—no
excitement, only deep fear and unease. But she still had to leave, she absolutely had to leave, because Chu Chen
was waiting for her outside. Cheng Xiaoyu was in a state of utter confusion. In the end, she only wrote one sentence on a piece of paper: "Mom and Dad, I'm leaving.
Your daughter is unfilial; please don't be too sad."

Cheng Xiaoyu took a few simple things, tiptoed to the living room, carefully turned the lock, and with a soft click,
the door opened. Cheng Xiaoyu held onto the doorframe and quietly pushed it open. Suddenly, the living room was brightly lit.

Startled, Cheng Xiaoyu turned around and saw her mother standing in the doorway between the living room and bedroom, looking at her coldly.

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her head in shame and remorse.

Zhou Dongmei said, "Where are you going?"

Cheng Xiaoyu didn't answer.

"Tell me!"

Cheng Xiaoyu still didn't speak.

Zhou Dongmei said anxiously, "You're playing tricks on me! You're my child! I found out last night that you took the household registration book!"
"Tell me, where are you going? I want to hear what kind of things my daughter could do!"

Cheng Jianping also came out of the bedroom. Seeing Zhou Dongmei's agitated state, he quickly pulled her aside to persuade her.

Zhou Dongmei cried as she spoke, "Cheng Xiaoyu, what you're doing is like stabbing me in the heart! That little bitch
's son has her blood and is just as worthless as her. If you run away with him like this, I'd rather strangle you."

Cheng Xiaoyu raised her head, "Just pretend I'm dead, just pretend I was never
born . Why should I bear the consequences of your mistakes? I'm leaving, I don't want to stay here for even a day!"

Zhou Dongmei angrily raised her hand, "Fine! Fine! I'll pretend I was never born!"

Seeing that she was about to hit him, Cheng Jianping quickly stepped in front of her to stop her, saying to Cheng Xiaoyu, "Don't anger your mother, quickly
admit your mistake."

Zhou Dongmei pushed Cheng Jianping and was about to hit Cheng Xiaoyu again, but Cheng Xiaoyu just stood at the door with her lips pursed and didn't say a word. Just as
Zhou Dongmei 's hand was about to strike Cheng Xiaoyu's face, Zhou Dongmei's face suddenly turned ashen. She clutched her chest with her other hand,
her eyes glazed over, and she swayed before collapsing to the ground.

This terrified the Cheng father and daughter. Cheng Jianping quickly carried Zhou Dongmei downstairs to hail a taxi to the hospital. Zhou Dongmei was
rushed the emergency room. Cheng Jianping and Cheng Xiaoyu sat outside, speechless. Fortunately,
the doctor came out an hour later, diagnosing her with a sudden, high-pressure heart attack. They were thankful for the timely intervention; another half hour could have
been fatal.

Cheng Jianping's eyes reddened as he grasped the doctor's hand, expressing his deepest gratitude.

Zhou Dongmei was moved to the intensive care unit. The nurse instructed her not to be emotionally agitated and to notify her immediately of any
abnormalities before leaving with a tray.

Zhou Dongmei had regained consciousness and was breathing heavily through an oxygen mask, tears occasionally streaming
down her wrinkled face. Cheng Xiaoyu knelt down in front of Zhou Dongmei's bedside, took her mother's hand, and said, "Mom,
don't be like this. I swear to you, I will never be with Chu Chen again. I really swear to you,
if with him again, may our whole family die a horrible death, and may I, Cheng Xiaoyu, never have peace for the rest of my life
. I swear, Mom." A hint of relief finally appeared in Zhou Dongmei's eyes, and she tremblingly
squeezed 's hand.

They didn't have enough money to pay the hospital fees. Cheng Jianping wanted to go home to get more money, but Cheng Xiaoyu said, "Dad, you stay with Mom
. I'll go home to get some, and then bring a few of Mom's clothes."

Cheng Xiaoyu went home, took a black and white polka-dot suitcase from the cabinet, packed a couple of clothes
and her laptop, and zipped it up. She went to the ATM, withdrew the money
, paid the hospital fees, and had about 20,000 yuan left. Cheng Xiaoyu left the hospital, took a taxi to the train station,
and looked at the electronic information screens in the ticket hall before deciding to go to Rongcheng. Firstly, the city was far away,
and secondly , Rongcheng was a beautiful and economically developed city where finding a job shouldn't be difficult.

Cheng Xiaoyu bought a ticket for the 4:34 train. It was 4:15 now. The train station was filled with
drowsy, weary-looking passengers sitting and lying down, and the waiting hall was filled with an unpleasant smell.
Cheng Xiaoyu stood up and followed the queue to the ticket gate. Suddenly, her phone rang with Mayday's "Stubborn." Cheng Xiaoyu
glanced at it; it was Chu Chen. Cheng Xiaoyu hung up and was about to turn off her phone when she hesitated and sent a text message to Cheng Jianping:
"Dad, I'm planning to work in another city for a few years before coming home. Tell Mom to take good care of herself. I won't be with Chu Chen anymore
. You don't need to worry about my safety; I'll send you an email every three months to let you know I'm safe."

After sending the message, Cheng Xiaoyu turned off her phone, tossed it into the trash can, and entered the station with her ticket.

The train rumbled along the tracks. Cheng Xiaoyu stood in the middle of the carriage, leaning against her seat, watching
the dawn break outside the window. "Chu Chen," she thought, "I'm sorry, I have to leave you. It's not my heart.
Your pain is my pain.

" The next evening, the train arrived at its final destination, Rongcheng. Cheng Xiaoyu got off the train and found a random hotel to stay in; the
room cost 180 yuan. Before she could even process her emotions, she went out to look for an apartment the next day. Rongcheng was a tourist
city, and rent was quite expensive. Most leases were for six months or more, and a decent apartment in a typical neighborhood cost
around 2,000 yuan per month. Six months' rent plus a quarterly deposit would amount to 15,000 yuan. Cheng Xiaoyu only
had 20,000 yuan on her; she couldn't afford that. After a day of searching, she finally found a room in a three-story building in an urban village.
Although it was only about 20 square meters, with small windows and poor lighting, the rent was only 1,200 yuan per month, and it was
a three-month lease with a deposit of only one month's rent. Cheng Xiaoyu handed over 5,000 yuan to the landlord, signed the contract
, and moved in the next day. She then bought a washbasin, slippers, towels, and other daily necessities. After getting internet access, she started
frantically sending out resumes online. The 20,000 yuan was going to disappear quickly; she needed to find a job as soon as possible. Rongcheng
was a beautiful city, but Cheng Xiaoyu didn't feel its charm at all. She only felt it was an unfamiliar,
busy, and fiercely competitive city.

Within a few days, Cheng Xiaoyu caught a cold from being so busy, but she still had to find a job. In this city, she had no
one to rely on; she had to earn money quickly. On the day of her interview at Ruiyu, Cheng Xiaoyu had a severe cold, her head
was foggy, and she wasn't feeling well. She thought she hadn't performed well and was doomed. Unexpectedly, two days later, she received
a job offer from Ruiyu. Cheng Xiaoyu compared the two or three job opportunities she had and felt that Ruiyu's salary
was good , and since it was an internet company, she had some relevant experience. In the end, she chose Ruiyu.

On her first day at the company, her HR colleagues helped her collect office supplies and then took her to have her
passport photo taken for filing. Sitting in her chair, looking at the black lens of the camera, Cheng Xiaoyu sighed silently
. She had finally settled down in Rongcheng. "Cheng Xiaoyu, your life is entering a new phase from now on. Treat those things in
Qingcheng as just a dream; don't mention them or think about them again." Cheng Xiaoyu told
herself this, but she felt no joy in starting a new life, only a deathly emptiness. She stared blankly
at the camera, and with a click, the photo was taken.

Two months later, Yan Yu retrieved Cheng Xiaoyu's file from the employee folder. In the photo, Cheng Xiaoyu stared at
the camera with a serious, expressionless face. Her dark pupils were silent and empty. The photo looked too gloomy; she
didn't look as good in person. Cheng Xiaoyu was twenty-four years old, from the north, and had attended university there. She didn't know
why she had come to work in the south after graduation. Her personal experience is quite simple; she went through elementary school, middle school, and university all the way up.
She had only served as a history class representative and a life committee member, and received a third-class scholarship twice. During her senior year internship, she worked as an assistant director at a
network game development company for a period of time. Her major in college was public administration, and now
, a little over a year after graduation, her first job after arriving in Rongcheng was as an administrative specialist at Ruiyu. Yan Yu glanced at her
personal : "...I am gentle and friendly, and can get along well with colleagues. My hobbies are listening to music, reading, and traveling.
" Yan Yu snorted. Gentle and friendly, with hobbies of listening to music and reading? Why didn't she write that she was moody and liked
going to nightclubs and one-night stands? But no matter what, this girl, Young Master Yan, was interested.

Chapter 158 The Aurora Promise The events in

Beiming City were a great blow to Cheng Xiaoyu. Even with Chu Chen's meticulous care and protection, she remained
depressed and refused to go out and see anyone. Chu Chen knew that such severe damage could only be healed gradually with time, so he didn't pressure
her. Aside from work, he spent all his time with Cheng Xiaoyu, cooking for her, watching movies with her, and
chatting with her in bed. Everything seemed the same as before, but Cheng Xiaoyu was no longer the girl who wore her heart on
her sleeve , and their relationship was no longer that of lovers. However, Chu Chen was already content; her return to this
small apartment was something he never expected. Chu Chen felt genuinely sorry for Cheng Xiaoyu. This kind of thing
would be unbearable for any woman, especially since his little rabbit wasn't a particularly strong woman.

Cheng Xiaoyu often had nightmares, and Chu Chen would immediately wake her up whenever he noticed. That night, Cheng Xiaoyu had another nightmare, muttering incoherently and struggling with
her limbs. Chu Chen groggily woke up and patted Cheng Xiaoyu's cheek to wake her.
Cheng Xiaoyu opened her eyes, looking at him somewhat dazedly. Chu Chen wiped the sweat from her forehead, pulled her into
his arms, and whispered that it was alright.

It was a little past three in the morning. Cheng Xiaoyu nestled quietly in Chu Chen's arms, gazing at the still darkness before her. The warmth
of his embrace and the sound of his heartbeat made her feel safe.

Seeing that she was no longer afraid, Chu Chen lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Little Rabbit, it's alright, let's sleep."

Cheng Xiaoyu hummed in agreement and closed her eyes. Chu Chen also closed his eyes and held her tighter. Just when he thought
she was asleep, she suddenly spoke, "Chu Chen, let's go see the Northern Lights. We promised
to go together."

Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu had gone to Norway together. March in Norway was still quite cold. Locals said it was
possible , but it depended on luck. It snows often here. When it's not snowing, Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu would go for
walks. Norway, whether in cities or countryside, is beautiful. Near their cabin was a beautiful
19th- century cathedral, and further on was the coast where they could see seabirds flying low.
On snowy days, they would snuggle up in front of the fireplace to watch TV or read. The firewood crackled in the fireplace,
filling the air with a comforting woody aroma. Yan Yu had once said he would take her to Europe, where they could make love in front of a
blazing fireplace. That remained just a promise. Now, looking back, it all seemed like a dream. Even
the terrifying, hellish scene of that night seemed blurred in this distant, snow-covered land.

The weather was fine that day. They climbed to the top of Preikestolen cliffs, gazing at the Lyse
Fjord Strait. As far
as
the eye could see, mist swirled between the cliffs, and the deep blue lake below resembled a magnificent jewel, silently sculpted by time. The wonders of nature were truly beyond human reach. Standing before such a breathtaking landscape, one's heart easily broadened. Chu Chen and Cheng
Xiaoyu
stood silently before the cliff. Looking at the towering mountains stretching into the twilight, Cheng Xiaoyu suddenly realized how insignificant humanity was before nature. Those intense, life-or-death passions you
might think of were nothing special from a distance—merely a drop in the ocean of the vast world. How many joys and sorrows unfold
in the world every day, yet has the world truly changed even slightly? She was too fixated on it,
always feeling that fate had been unfair to her. She seemed unable to express how much she had suffered unless she acted
out
. In reality, people are nothing more than dust, blown wherever the wind takes them. Why should she make herself suffer like this?

Cheng Xiaoyu suddenly smiled mischievously at Chu Chen, "You jump, I jump."

Chu Chen looked at Cheng Xiaoyu; in the clear sunlight on the mountaintop, her smile was as pure and lovely as ever. Chu Chen's
heart was instantly captivated. He murmured, "If you really jump, of course I will jump too."

Actually, when Cheng Xiaoyu and Chu Chen had just broken up, she had truly considered finding a beautiful place
to commit suicide , rather than living such a painful life. Cheng Xiaoyu smiled. "Let's keep living. Although it's tough and tiring, and
sometimes I want to give up, isn't that what life is all about? We still have to live."

They spent a week in Oslo and a few days in North Cape, but they still hadn't seen the aurora. Their
original return date was approaching, and Chu Chen suggested waiting another week. Cheng Xiaoyu knew he
was very busy with work, and that spending two weeks with her was already a huge sacrifice. Cheng Xiaoyu said they should go back
on time ; nothing can be perfect, and she was already very grateful to have come here with him.

Unexpectedly, on the night before their departure, they finally saw the aurora. The two of them, bundled up in thick clothes, stood in
the snow and ice , looking up at the sky. A faint green light appeared in the deep blue night sky, and then within minutes, the light
became more and more prominent, before suddenly cascading down like a waterfall. The scene was so magnificent that
words couldn't describe it, and the projection on the projector couldn't even begin to capture its grandeur. The light, like an endless giant ribbon,
wrapped around the entire sky, sometimes like a graceful dragon, sometimes like a deep, still sea. Its color wasn't just a simple green; it was mixed with
light pink, pale purple, and deep blue, a breathtaking feast of colors that seemed almost tangible. Chu Chen and Cheng Xiaoyu looked up at the magnificent aurora
borealis , deeply awestruck by the wonders of nature.

After a long while, Chu Chen said, "This place is exactly like the 'End of the Earth' I imagined."

Little Rabbit and Youming stood hand in hand at the top of the End of the Earth. Tears streamed down Cheng Xiaoyu's face. She and Chu Chen
had seen the aurora together; the most beautiful light and shadow in the world had witnessed their love. She could finally stop feeling
so deeply regretful.

Since returning from Norway, Cheng Xiaoyu seemed to be doing better. Although she still didn't like going out, her mood wasn't as
bad as before, which relieved Chu Chen somewhat. When Chu Chen came home from work that day, Cheng Xiaoyu was actually
cooking . Chu Chen was surprised and walked to the kitchen door to take a look. He then smiled and said, "Cheng Xiaoyu, you can even cook now
? You're so virtuous."

Cheng Xiaoyu's fair wrist twirled the spatula as she turned and smiled at him.

She had only prepared two simple dishes: mushrooms and greens, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Chu Chen, being very considerate,
ate them all. After dinner, they watched a lighthearted movie together, and after showering,
they . Cheng Xiaoyu was in a good mood that day, talking even after the lights were off. Chu Chen kept her company,
chatting until late, about everything under the sun, until they couldn't remember when they finally fell asleep. Their
relationship wasn't that of lovers or family; they loved each other and were willing to do anything for each other, yet there was always a
taboo . They transcended all relationships that could be spoken of in this world; they were each other's deepest wound
, a flower, a tear—a primal existence that no one else could compare to.

The next morning, when Chu Chen woke up, Cheng Xiaoyu was still asleep. He got dressed, leaned down,
kissed and quietly closed the door before leaving. When he returned home that evening, Cheng Xiaoyu was gone. The house
was untouched, empty and desolate, like a desert.

Cheng Xiaoyu had left a note on the bedside table: "Chu Chen, I'm home. I miss my mom and dad
. Don't be sad, I'll always be your little rabbit. Stay safe, don't worry. Xiaoyu."

Chu Chen gently placed the note down. She was gone, but her scent lingered in the house, sweet and fragrant
, but even that scent would eventually dissipate. Chu Chen lay back on the bed, breathing quietly.
He knew what she meant when she said she was going to Norway. Of course, he felt sad that Cheng Xiaoyu was gone, but it was
n't the heart-wrenching pain of the past; it was a stagnant ache. Watching her leave time and time again, perhaps
he had grown accustomed to it. Loving her was like a most devout faith; he adhered to a religion of more suffering than joy,
one he could never give up.

Cheng Xiaoyu boarded the train from Qingcheng to Liucheng, her small black and white polka-dot suitcase resting on the rack. She'd be home
in five hours. Home is the warmest place in the world,
the place you can always return to no matter how far you travel. The longer Cheng Xiaoyu was away, the deeper she understood this. A few days ago, Chu Chen's mother asked to meet her,
inquiring if she was staying at Chu Chen's apartment. Cheng Xiaoyu said she was leaving in a few days, and Xi Rong hummed in agreement,
not pressing her further. However, her departure wasn't because of Chu's mother; she had originally planned
to leave after watching the aurora borealis with Chu Chen. But this time, she was so badly injured that she couldn't help but linger, drawn by Chu Chen's tenderness, so she stayed a little
longer . But she knew in her heart that she would eventually have to leave. These past three years, stumbling and falling, even if she was foolish,
she would never forget the experiences gained with blood and tears. Life is about doing everything you should do; as for what
you shouldn't do, no matter how bitter, painful, difficult, or reluctant, you must never do it. Stubborn and willful people are still
children, and all children eventually grow up.

The train was bustling with activity: people eating, playing cards, chatting, checking tickets, and selling things.
Cheng Xiaoyu sat by the window. The boy opposite her asked where she was getting off and if she wanted to play cards.
Cheng Xiaoyu smiled and shook her head, saying she was tired. The three of them then started playing Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game). Cheng Xiaoyu rested her head against the cool
glass, watching the scenery rushing past outside. Her mind was blank, only filled with a deep sadness. She
was relatively calm, but for some reason, after sitting silently for a while, tears started flowing. Cheng Xiaoyu
closed her eyes and wiped away the warm, salty tear. She felt tired; perhaps she should sleep.

Cheng Xiaoyu actually fell asleep in the noisy carriage, and slept very soundly. She had a dream. She was
Cheng Xiaoyu, a second-grade elementary school student, small and thin, with two little braids. It was during the longest
summer vacation. The electric fan overhead was whirring. Her parents were at work, and she was home alone, free to do whatever she
wanted . Cheng Xiaoyu spread a straw mat on the floor, placed half a chilled watermelon on her lap, and scooped it up with a spoon
, eating it spoonful by spoonful. The sweet and juicy watermelon was incredibly enjoyable. On TV, an endless drama was playing.
The female lead in the drama wavered between two men, and she had an endless supply of tears. Cheng Xiaoyu sat on
the... Watching intently, the adults' love and hate seemed like a captivating game to the child.
Cheng Xiaoyu, chin in hand, pondered when she would grow up, how wonderful it would be to be grown up… Suddenly, someone nudged
her shoulder. Cheng Xiaoyu opened her eyes to see the boy across from her, who looked like a college student. He said, “
Didn’t you say you were getting off at Liucheng? We’ve arrived at Liucheng.”

Cheng Xiaoyu thanked him, picked up her suitcase, and
got off the train. The station was bustling with people, everyone hurrying along, carrying, pulling, or shouldering their luggage.
Cheng Xiaoyu stood in the crowd, somewhat bewildered, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar Liucheng station. Three years had passed. Dad,
Mom, I’m back.

Chapter 159: The Wedding

Cheng Xiaoyu now worked in human resources at a trading company in Liucheng. Because the company was small, the HR and administration departments
were combined. Although Cheng Xiaoyu’s salary was only a little over two thousand yuan, she did a lot of work. Her
boss was a somewhat mean-spirited middle-aged man. Two other colleagues in the HR department often complained about him behind his back,
but Cheng Xiaoyu said nothing. She did whatever work was assigned to her, and after a while, those two colleagues stopped
paying attention to her. Cheng Xiaoyu didn't care. She didn't want to make friends with anyone right now, and if there was overtime,
she always volunteered readily to avoid being nagged by her mother at home.

Her parents had missed her terribly in the three years they hadn't seen her, and their hair had turned quite white. When she first returned, her mother was so angry
that she hit her while crying, "It's been almost three years! Every three months you only send a few words online.
We didn't even know if you were alive or dead. How could you be so heartless!"

Cheng Jianping and Zhou Dongmei felt that their daughter had changed a lot since she came back. She was more sensible than before, but she didn't talk much.
Seeing the deep scar on her wrist, they felt incredibly heartbroken. Zhou Dongmei tentatively
asked Cheng Xiaoyu a few times where she had been and what she had been doing these past few years, but Cheng Xiaoyu only said, "Mom, please don't ask anymore, I don't want to talk about it."
Now, Cheng Xiaoyu goes home on time every day after work, eats dinner, and then hides in her bedroom and doesn't come out again. She
doesn't make new friends, and she doesn't go shopping or to the movies on weekends. She's lifeless and doesn't seem like a young person at all.
Cheng Jianping and Zhou Dongmei are inevitably worried, but they can't do anything about it. Zhou Dongmei said that a young girl with such
a frightening scar on her hand would never get married, and insisted on taking her to have scar removal surgery. After the surgery, the scar was lighter...
It was still quite obvious. Zhou Dongmei sighed, holding Cheng Xiaoyu's wrist. Cheng Xiaoyu silently pulled her hand back and
put the diamond bracelet back on.

Six months after Cheng Xiaoyu returned home, Zhou Dongmei began arranging blind dates for her. Cheng Xiaoyu expressed her
opposition , and Zhou Dongmei said, "Do you think you're still young? You're already twenty-seven. If you don't have a partner soon, you'll be a leftover woman.
" Cheng Xiaoyu was speechless. Having experienced so much, her attitude towards relationships was naturally different from that of most girls.
She hadn't thought about being a leftover woman, but asking her to date a complete stranger was something she definitely couldn't do.
Zhou Dongmei tried to persuade her, but she ignored her and refused to meet the men she was introduced to. After several such encounters, Zhou Dongmei was so angry that she couldn't sleep for days and her
high blood pressure was about to flare up. Only then did Cheng Xiaoyu dare not push her any further and obediently went on the blind dates.

Who knew that this would be the beginning of something far from over? From then on, Cheng Xiaoyu went out to eat with
strange . In fact, in a small third-tier city like Liucheng, there aren't many outstanding men to begin with .
With Zhou Dongmei going to such lengths to find a partner for Cheng Xiaoyu, the average quality of these men naturally
seemed .

Cheng Xiaoyu now goes without makeup, because she left her cosmetics in Yan Yu's small apartment
. A set of her usual brands would cost tens of thousands of yuan, and she was naturally embarrassed to use
her parents' money to buy them. Cheng Xiaoyu is beautiful even without makeup; her features are elegant, and her demeanor is aloof. Many men are quite
attracted to her. Whenever Zhou Dongmei hears that someone is willing to meet a second time, she pushes Cheng Xiaoyu to go out and meet them.
Cheng Xiaoyu does go, but she puts on a lukewarm attitude. Nobody's a fool; after being
rebuffed a few times, most people just give up.

Cheng Xiaoyu's blind date journey has gone from the height of summer to the depths of winter. She's met nearly twenty men, and she considers
one of the most exceptional to be a middle school politics teacher, who is also her father's colleague. To be honest, Cheng Xiaoyu found it hard
to imagine a more boring job than teaching politics in junior high school. But this Mr. Ma Qianli clearly wasn't ashamed
; he was proud of it, often acting like a prospective civil servant, with the face of a lowly office worker but a haughty demeanor.
Cheng Xiaoyu didn't even bother to look at him, sitting in the orange McDonald's chair, sipping her milk tea and looking out the window. Mr. Ma
told her that the reason he was still unmarried at thirty was because he refused to settle. He said many girls these days
were vain and promiscuous, and he wouldn't dare marry one. Unlike Cheng Xiaoyu, who dressed simply and was quiet and reserved,
he clearly wasn't the kind of girl who would do that. He had a very good impression of her. Cheng Xiaoyu just silently drank her orange juice. She had nothing to say. She wondered what Mr. Ma's expression
would be if he saw her smoking and drinking in nightclubs. Cheng Xiaoyu only ate for twenty minutes before making an excuse to leave. Mr. Ma, however, completely misunderstood her meaning and invited her out for dinner again the following weekend. Zhou Dongmei urged her to go, and Cheng Xiaoyu, out of consideration for Mr. Ma being her father's colleague , didn't say anything and just ate with him half-heartedly. But Mr. Ma was still immersed in his own illusory world and completely oblivious to what others were saying. The third time, he invited Cheng Xiaoyu to go for a walk in the park. While they were walking in the park, he put his hand on Cheng Xiaoyu's shoulder. Cheng Xiaoyu was furious and shook off his hand. "What are you doing?" The guy actually grinned and told her not to be shy. Cheng Xiaoyu's face turned cold. "Teacher Ma, I think you might have misunderstood something. I feel we're not suitable for ." Ma Qianli said, "Don't be angry, Xiaoyu. If you're not used to it, we can take it slow. I'm a rather reserved ; you'll know once you spend more time with me. I do have quite a few good points, hehe." While this reserved Mr. Ma was entangled with her, Cheng Xiaoyu saw a tall, handsome man . She recognized his figure and posture immediately; one glance was all it took to know it was Yan Yu. He seemed a little thinner, wearing a black wool overcoat as he walked up to her, handsome but with a touch of aloofness. Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Yan Yu without speaking, and Yan Yu also looked at her without speaking. Mr. Ma spoke first, " Cheng Xiaoyu , who is this man?" Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Ma Qianli, then at Yan Yu, walked over, and took Yan Yu's arm. "He's my boyfriend ." Ma Qianli stammered in his anxiety, "What, what, he's your...your boyfriend? You have a boyfriend and you 're out on a blind date!" Cheng Xiaoyu turned away to look at the scenery in the park with an indifferent expression, but her hand remained on Yan Yu's arm. Yan Yu gave Ma Qianli a cold glance. Actually, there was no specific meaning in his eyes, but Ma Qianli felt a sense of being slighted and insulted. He glared at Cheng Xiaoyu angrily, "Women these days... Hmph, I don't even want to talk about it. Don't ask me out again!" After saying that, he turned and left without looking back. Cheng Xiaoyu watched Ma Qianli walk away before pulling her hand out of Yan Yu's arm. " Is it alright ?" Yan Yu's expression was cold. "Cheng Xiaoyu, I thought you left me because you found some amazing man. Turns out, this is your taste." Cheng Xiaoyu snorted. "That's so ungentlemanly of you. When it comes to blind dates, I certainly can't compare to you." The two were silent for a moment, just standing face to face. After a while, Cheng Xiaoyu said, " What did you come to see me for ?" Yan Yu said, "Let's find a place to sit down first." The two went into a small coffee shop. Yan Yu ordered a latte, and Cheng Xiaoyu ordered a mocha. The two sat on a dark green patterned sofa, and Cheng Xiaoyu silently stirred the small silver spoon in her coffee cup with her head down. Yan Yu said, "Why didn't you elope with Chu Chen? Instead, you've gone home to go on blind dates?" Cheng Xiaoyu said sullenly, "That's my business, none of your concern." Yan Yu was silent for a moment, "Cheng Xiaoyu, I'm getting married." Cheng Xiaoyu stopped stirring the silver spoon in her hand, her heart suddenly feeling like something was blocking it. She looked up at Yan Yu, wanting to speak, but her lips trembled and she couldn't say anything. Yan Yu looked at her and said, "With Fang Fei, in three months." Cheng Xiaoyu wanted to say congratulations, that you and Dr. Fang really took your fake relationship into real life. But she couldn't say anything, and could only lower her head and slump against the sofa. The leather sofa was slightly cool against her back in the dead of winter, and Cheng Xiaoyu felt the chill seep through her sweater and spread throughout her body, making her want to hug herself tighter. Yan Yu's expression was serious, as if he were discussing a business deal, "If I really get married, I won't think about you anymore, I'll forget you." Cheng Xiaoyu still didn't speak.

Yan Yu said, "You really have nothing to say to me?"

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered her head, her lips pressed tightly together.

Yan Yu gritted her teeth, "Cheng Xiaoyu, I'll ask you one last time, do you want me to marry Fang Fei?
Answer me, if you say no," Yan Yu paused, turning her face to the side, "I won't marry her."

Cheng Xiaoyu remained silent, like a stone statue, cold, hard, and motionless.

Time seemed to stretch on for a hundred years before Yan Yu finally sighed wearily, "Cheng Xiaoyu, I
will never come looking for you again in this life."

Yan Yu left without saying goodbye, even forgetting to pay for the coffee. Cheng Xiaoyu looked down at the mocha in her hand,
a tear falling and creating a small ripple in the coffee. She wanted to say, "Yan Yu, you can't get married,
what will I do if you marry someone else?" But she couldn't say anything, she couldn't even move. Cheng Xiaoyu knew that Yan
Yu was really leaving her this time. At this moment, she finally realized that she actually loved this man very much.
However the terrible memory of that night made her too weak to be brave. The arguments and suspicions of the whole year made her unable to say anything
. She could only remain silent as if she were cursed.

If she hadn't gone to a bar for a one-night stand to forget Chu Chen, she wouldn't have
gotten entangled . If she hadn't been with Yan Yu while harboring other thoughts, she wouldn't
have lost control whenever she saw Chu Chen. If she hadn't slept with Chu Chen behind Yan Yu's back, Yan Yu wouldn't have hated her so much. If Yan
Yu hadn't hated her, he wouldn't have been with other women. If he hadn't been with other women, she wouldn't have
gone to bars to drown her sorrows. If she hadn't gone to bars to drown her sorrows, she wouldn't have met Bei Mingcheng. If she hadn't met Bei
Mingcheng, those terrible things wouldn't have happened. If that hadn't happened, she might have already given birth to her and Yan Yu's
baby . If she had really had the baby, Yan Yu wouldn't have married Fang Fei. If they hadn't married, she might not have
realized that she couldn't accept the fact that he was about to belong to another woman and forget her. If she didn't know that
she actually loved Yan Yu very much, she wouldn't be so sad and regretful, regretting every wrong thing she had done. If
… if, as she idly strolled past the
"River of Oblivion" outlined in the neon lights, laden with a large bag of snacks, she could have resisted the temptation and turned away. The River of Oblivion is hell, teeming with
wandering souls unable to reincarnate, its stench and wails a testament to a lifetime of torment. Yet, she
had mistaken it for a paradise where she could temporarily forget her troubles. Only after a painful fall did she awaken to the truth. The
poem says it well: "The best thing is never to meet, so we won't fall in love. The second best thing is never to be together, so we
won't owe each other anything. The third best thing is never to encounter each other, so we won't be separated. How can I part from you forever, to avoid the pain of longing in life and death?"
… Yan Yu, don't forget me, please don't forget me. I can endure being separated from you on opposite sides of the earth,
but if one day even your heart becomes a stranger to me, I will begin to question the meaning of life itself.
Tears streamed down Cheng Xiaoyu
.

That evening, Zhou Dongmei asked her how her day with Ma Qianli had gone. Cheng Xiaoyu said nothing,
simply closing the door going into her bedroom. Zhou Dongmei called her several times, but she didn't come out for dinner.

The next day, on her way to work, Cheng Xiaoyu saw a hair salon and, on a whim, went in and got her hair cut.
Over the years, her hair had grown to her waist. The young man cutting her hair asked if she was really going to cut it all off. Cheng
Xiaoyu didn't even look up, simply saying yes. Strands of her long, black, curly hair fell to the floor.
Cheng Xiaoyu looked up at her short hair in the mirror—clean, neat, and quite nice. After leaving the salon, Cheng Xiaoyu went straight to
her company wrote her resignation letter, and handed it to her boss. At noon, she went home to tell her parents she was going to Hecheng to look for work.

Zhou Dongmei immediately became anxious upon hearing this, "You child, you didn't even discuss such a big decision as quitting your job with us!
Why go to Hecheng? Can't Liucheng accommodate you?"

Cheng Xiaoyu said, "How big is Liucheng? The food is neither here nor there, and the monthly salary is only a little over two thousand
yuan, not even enough to buy a pair of shoes. This kind of small place will wear down your will and bury your talent."

Zhou Dongmei said, "Look at how arrogant you are! No, I won't let you go. I won't feel at ease without you by my side."

Five days later, Cheng Xiaoyu still packed her suitcase and boarded the train to Hecheng. After all, she was an adult, and once she made up
her mind her parents couldn't stop her. Cheng Xiaoyu knew that competition in Hecheng was fierce and prices were high, and life certainly wouldn't be
as comfortable as in Liucheng, but she didn't care. She wasn't afraid of being busy or tired; ideally, she would be so tired that
she could fall asleep as soon as she closed her eyes and didn't want to think about anything every night.

Chapter 160 Three years

passed in a flash, and another two years went by. Cheng Xiaoyu has changed residences twice and worked three times in the past two years. She's currently a marketing manager at a
company , earning a little over ten thousand yuan a month—enough to get by in a place like Hecheng. She bought a
Jetta worth seventy or eighty thousand yuan and drives it herself. She's also completed several good projects at the company. She rents a
comfortable one-bedroom apartment and has a lazy cat named Snoopy. She's made two or three friends, but they're not always
together; she sometimes has to spend time with her boyfriend.

Cheng Xiaoyu isn't opposed to dating. A woman has to get married eventually; does she really have to wait until she's old and faded before finding someone new
? She understands this, but with two exes like Chu Chen and Yan Yu,
what kind of man could possibly catch her eye? Cheng Xiaoyu is always silently picky, and ultimately
, none of them work out. Later, she met a marketing director from another company on a collaborative project. He was
handsome and had a good personality, about four or five years older than her, but not by much.
After the deputy director had dinner at Cheng Xiaoyu's house and then said he wouldn't leave that night. Cheng Xiaoyu thought about it and agreed.
But the moment the man's hand slipped inside her collar, Cheng Xiaoyu felt as if
a snake had crawled into her clothes. Those terrifying memories of Bei Mingcheng that she thought were buried deep in
her mind surged back like an electric current. Cheng Xiaoyu pushed the man aside and coldly told him to leave.
The next day, the director called to apologize, but Cheng Xiaoyu still insisted on breaking up with him. Cheng Xiaoyu
did have emotional issues, and she didn't want to waste his time anymore.

In the past two years, Cheng Xiaoyu and Chu Chen hadn't met in person, only exchanging updates via email. Chu Chen
was now the president of Tianyi, his work was generally going well, but his love life remained empty. He had sent her two
postcards, both bought and sent while traveling abroad or on vacation; one was a view of a riverside inn in Lijiang, Yunnan.
On the back of the postcard, Chu Chen wrote, "I read a few lines today, and I'd like to share them with you: I've walked across many
bridges, seen many clouds, and drunk many kinds of wine, but I've only loved one person at the prime of their life."
Cheng Xiaoyu gently stroked the scenery on the postcard, recalling
the tender . The river was teeming with fish, and the sunset was ablaze with color. Cheng Xiaoyu used a thumbtack to
press the postcard to several photos on the wall. Now, thinking back to those days, Cheng Xiaoyu no longer felt that
heart-wrenching pain, but rather a gentle warmth. Perhaps one day, when she's old and her teeth have fallen out, and he's old
and his eyesight has deteriorated, they can buy a small house in Lijiang, enjoy the scenery and chat every day. After all,
they'll be two old people nearing the end of their lives; what's the point of brother and sister now?

When Zhou Dongmei returned home for Chinese New Year this year, her face was longer than ever before. It wasn't surprising; Cheng Xiaoyu
would be thirty after the New Year, basically past her prime marriage season. Coupled with the relentless bombardment of questions from relatives and friends,
Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't handle it. Although her company was supposed to resume work on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, she bought a plane ticket back to Hecheng on the sixth. Thirty
is definitely an age worth reflecting on for a woman. Returning to her rented apartment after the New Year holiday
, staring blankly at Snoopy, Cheng Xiaoyu felt a little desolate. Incidentally, although Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes
weren't small, the "big eyes" in that context definitely referred to Snoopy. Snoopy was a
cute, flat-faced, white cat with yellow stripes, gentle, and a good eater and sleeper; Cheng Xiaoyu adored it. On this seventh day of the Lunar New Year, just after turning
thirty Cheng Xiaoyu seriously considered for the first time the possibility of never getting married. The more she thought about it,
the more likely it seemed. Her emotions shifted from doubt to panic, and finally to resignation. "So what if I can't get married? Being single
is fine too. Every relationship feels like being skinned alive; if it happens again, it might even leave you with bones.
While being single might lead to a bleak old age, it's not uncommon in this world. At worst, you might die alone in your home
like , only to be discovered by your landlord a week later. Or, at worst, you might be like those seemingly true but actually false
news stories about an old woman who died alone and had half her face eaten away by her cat." Cheng Xiaoyu cupped Snoopy
's chubby, fluffy round face in her hands. "Snoopy, if I die, will you eat my face?"

Snoopy blinked twice at Cheng Xiaoyu with its big, innocent eyes.

There was a Mayday "New Beginning" concert in Hecheng on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. Cheng Xiaoyu planned to go,
but because she bought her tickets late, she only got regular tickets. Over the years, Mayday had always been with
her; she listened to every album they released. To be honest,
Cheng Xiaoyu . The regular seats were too far from the stage, and the people on stage were so small she couldn't even see
their faces. But it didn't matter, there was a big screen. Even though it was so crowded she was
sweating buckets, it didn't matter; at least the atmosphere was fantastic. On the big screen, the members of Mayday were laughing, dancing, playing instruments, and drumming. They seemed ageless, still
as enthusiastic and infectious as when she first went to a concert with Chu Chen.

Ashin on the big screen wiped the sweat from his brow, "Next, I'll be performing an old song, 'Suddenly Missing You.'
Do you all like it?"

The audience screamed that they loved it. Cheng Xiaoyu was taken aback. "Suddenly Missing You" was already an old song
? She released it when she was in college; it really was almost ten years ago.

"I'm most afraid of the sudden silence, most afraid of a friend's sudden concern, most afraid of memories suddenly churning and writhing in
pain , most afraid of suddenly hearing news of you..."

Cheng Xiaoyu looked up at Ashin on the screen, singing passionately into the microphone, and sang along softly
. How could she not love Mayday with this song?

"If longing had a sound, I wouldn't want it to be the sound of sorrowful weeping. Now, I finally belong to
myself, only tears can't deceive myself..." A group of people next to her jumped and shouted Ashin's name,
causing Cheng Xiaoyu to stumble and fall back a few steps, unsure if she had stepped on someone's foot. She quickly turned around and apologized. As she
turned, she saw someone in the crowd, tall and handsome, wearing a black sweater,
impatiently squeezing among a group of children. His hair was shorter than before, and he was frowning as he looked at
Ashin on the screen. Cheng Xiaoyu recognized the figure immediately—it was Yan Yu. The

person Cheng Xiaoyu had stepped on didn't have time to pay attention to her and continued jumping and shouting.
For a moment blank, and before she could think, she had already pushed through the crowd towards Yan Yu.

"Suddenly I miss you so much, where are you, happy or sad? Suddenly I miss you so much, sudden sharp
memories , sudden blurred vision..." How
difficult it was to get to one place in a concert with tens of thousands of people! Cheng Xiaoyu kept shouting "Make way, make way!" as she pushed her way forward. Her short hair was messed up, and one
of her low-heeled shoes was knocked off. Cheng Xiaoyu simply threw the other shoe to the ground and continued pushing through the crowd . "We were like the most beautiful song, turning into two sad movies. Why did you take me on the most unforgettable journey, and then leave me with the most painful souvenir..." Before her were enthusiastic young faces. Cheng Xiaoyu was sweating profusely, but suddenly realized that Yan Yu, who had been standing there just moments before, was nowhere to be seen. She looked around blankly in the crowd, then called out Yan Yu's name, but her voice was quickly drowned out by screams. Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes welled up with tears. Standing disheveled in the crowd, still wearing her socks, she listened to the singer on stage , "We were so sweet, so beautiful, so trusting, so crazy, so passionate in the past, why must we still grow old, each heading towards our own happiness and regrets..." Cheng Xiaoyu pouted, then couldn't hold back her tears any longer, wiping them away like a child who had lost their beloved toy. The atmosphere was electric, with waves of people surging through the crowd Cheng Xiaoyu, preoccupied with her tears, was nearly knocked over by a sudden jolt. Luckily , someone grabbed her arm from behind and pulled her back. Cheng Xiaoyu's first thought was that it was Yan Yu. She immediately turned around, and it really was Yan Yu, holding her arm and looking down at her, his expression unreadable . Cheng Xiaoyu wiped away her tears and murmured Yan Yu's name, "...I'm most afraid of having decided to live without you in this life, only to suddenly hear news of you." When the song ended, enthusiastic applause rang out in the hall, but Yan Yu and Cheng Xiaoyu just looked at each other face to face, momentarily dazed as if in a dream.

The concert ended around 11 PM, and the crowd poured out of the venue. Although it was cold outside, the fans'
enthusiasm hadn't waned. They walked out in twos and threes, chatting about the scenes from the concert. Once
most people had left, Yan Yu carried Cheng Xiaoyu out.

Cheng Xiaoyu's white socks were now black from being trampled. She hugged Yan Yu's neck, somewhat embarrassed, and hid
her feet behind her back, then mumbled a thank you to Yan Yu.

Yan Yu said, "Cheng Xiaoyu, you're thirty years old, and you still manage to lose your shoes at a concert? You're really
something."

Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't very well say, "I was in such a hurry to find you that I lost my shoes," so she could only feign nonchalance and hum, "Yan
Yu, it's been two years since we last met, and you don't say a kind word to me. Are you still holding a grudge about what happened before?"

Yan Yu stopped, turned and glanced at Cheng Xiaoyu, his eyes as cold as ice. Cheng Xiaoyu guiltily
looked away.

Yan Yu said, "I don't hold a grudge about what happened in the past. If I had stayed with you for the past three years,
you might have tormented me to death by now."

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