Ou Xueman didn’t look back, just waved her hand, “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but that I can’t.”
Because Ou Xueman was facing away, she missed Zeng Min’s momentarily hate-filled and distorted expression.
Returning to her previous spot, she saw a tall figure standing alone under the moonlight, back turned to the brightly lit area. The lights outlined his silhouette clearly. When he looked at her, she felt an illusion that love had always been waiting in the dim light, but that feeling quickly faded into the depths of her heart.
She stopped a short distance from him as he slowly approached. The black crystal tie clip gleamed in the moonlight.
Stopping in front of her, his shadow completely enveloped her. His breath brushed her hair, and she could almost hear his heartbeat. She expected him to speak, but he only gazed at her in gentle silence.
Their silent standoff lasted until his long sigh broke the moment. She softly said, “A woman told me she doesn’t dare hope to be by that man’s side often, only wishing he might remember her occasionally.”
He reached out and gently embraced her. Perhaps influenced by Zeng Min’s melancholy, she felt exhausted and did not refuse his embrace.
They leaned against each other in the hazy moonlight.
After a while, he spoke: “Zeng Min’s father is the godfather of a Macau triad. After years of illegal profiteering, he wanted to go legitimate and become a proper businessman. Only the Di family could collaborate with him, so he sent Zeng Min to my side.
He pressed his face gently against her forehead. “For me, she was nothing more than an extra. Though her background is complex, she has a pure nature. She is kind yet fragile.” He lifted her chin and gazed deep into her eyes. “Even knowing I shouldn’t have bothered her, at that time I didn’t know what I wanted. I always felt something was missing, so I blindly found a woman to fill that void. Now I know what I want, and I can’t continue to waste their time. Although it seems cruel, for their long future, time will heal their wounds and help them stand up again. This is better than following an unfeeling man like me who will never give them happiness.”
“Time will heal wounds,” she replied, pushing his hands away. Her fingertips touched her heart. “But do you know, while wounds may heal, the ugly scars will remain forever, and they will still ache whenever remembered.”
As she spoke, her sad eyes seemed to accuse him of his past cruelty, leaving him at a loss. He wanted to embrace her, but she fled further away.
“Xueman,” Di Xihuang ached for her sorrow.
Backing away, she unleashed the sadness she had accumulated and ignored for eight years, “Do you know this heartache? No, you won’t understand. You only know how to plunder, leaving scars and justifying it with grand words about their future. What kind of noble-sounding words are these? Feelings can’t be summoned and dismissed at will!” Her final words were almost a roar.
Her trembling fingers pointed at him like a sharp sword, “You are truly cruel. If you knew you couldn’t give them happiness, why did you approach them? Knowing they loved you, you ruthlessly trampled their feelings. Does this give you a sense of achievement?”
Facing her accusations, he sighed, “I didn’t understand love before. I thought women approached me with ulterior motives, either for money or to meet expectations. This made me believe love was always mixed with utilitarian goals, so I treated them my way. I knew it would hurt them, but they persistently entangled with me.”
Over time, I forgot to empathize with their feelings and pain, until one day I met a woman.”
He slowly lowered his head, his eyes filled with genuine tenderness, softly gazing at her, “She was always indifferent to me, ignoring my pride. No matter how sincerely I tried to give, she completely shut me out.”
He covered his heart with his palm, “Only then did I understand heartache and jealousy. It was then I realized what I truly wanted.”
His figure slowly approached her, each step solemn as if making a vow, stopping before her. After several deep breaths to muster his courage, he spoke again, “Xueman, I still don’t know what love is, but I know I like you. I hope you’ll stay by my side. I know my request is excessive—I can’t give you a proper status, but I want you with me.”
Ou Xueman was stunned by his confession, staring into his emotional eyes, trying to find a trace of falsehood but getting drawn into the torrent of his profound feelings.
Just as their gaze seemed eternal, a car’s headlights illuminated their dark space, breaking their spell and awakening Ou Xueman.
Avoiding his gaze, her heart racing and voice trembling, she said, “After everything you’ve done, do you think I could still believe your words?”
He lowered his eyelids, sighing deeply, “I don’t dare hope you’ll accept me, but don’t completely reject me. Give me a chance, will you?”
Proud and noble, he begged humbly. Her heart was moved, but their past was entangled with complex grievances. Those emotions had become an intricate knot that could not be untangled, so she continued to escape.
Watching her departure, pain surged, but he remained determined to pursue her.
After they left, a figure emerged from the shadows of the high wall. The night concealed her face, but her eyes radiated bloodthirsty hatred.
The morning in Hong Kong was shrouded in mist, the distant fog mysterious and expectant.
Sleepless, she glanced at her phone, wanting to open it but fearing it would disturb the emotions she had calmed.
Last night, she had watched the night dissolve amidst tremors, subtle joy, anticipation, and conflicting emotions.
Though the night had passed, his message softly echoed in her ears…
— Xueman, are you asleep?
Xue Man, I’m right downstairs.
A tremor struck her heart. Barefoot, she gently walked to the bedside and lifted a finger to part the curtain slightly.
In the only ray of light amid the darkness, he stood quietly, light and shadow intertwining on his body, deep and melancholic.
Suddenly, he sensed her and looked up, causing her breath to quicken and heart to race. Without panicking, she retreated beyond his line of sight.
— Xue Man, was that you just now? I felt your presence.
— Xue Man? Can you come out?
After a long while, when the screen displayed a message again, he simply said goodnight. She felt overwhelming disappointment and helplessness. For a moment, she wanted to find him, but quickly suppressed it. Her breathing and heartbeat remained unsettled, a subtle tremor brushing her heartstrings, leaving her unable to calm down.
Splashing water on her face, a cool sensation washed away some irritation. Water droplets slid down her cheeks, trailing across her chest, leaving clear marks. Along those marks, she saw soft skin, a seductive face, and a delicate figure—qualities she didn’t have eight years ago. Eight years later, she was still herself; only the exterior had changed. Ironically, the same person whom he had once discarded now sought to entangle with her.
A cold, bitter smile reflected in the mirror. It seemed he only liked superficial women. The same person, just with a changed appearance, transformed his feelings from dislike to love.
No matter how lofty he was, he was nothing more than a shallow man.
Leaving the mirror, she returned to the bedroom and quickly dressed in a black suit that displayed her capable demeanor. She casually tied her wavy hair, with a few loose strands falling—simple yet elegant. A thin layer of powder and a touch of red lipstick created a natural, eye-catching look.
Flashing a perfect smile in the mirror, she gave herself a ninety-point rating. Grabbing her bag with two fingers, she walked out in high heels.
