“No, it’s not like that, not at all.” She opened her eyes wide in shock. “I dreamed of him, our child! It was really him!” She pointed at him, her hands gesturing, “He was only this big. No, even smaller! He was so tiny, so pitiful. At first, he screamed at me, ‘Mommy, don’t kill me!’ I couldn’t stop crying. How could I bear to kill my own child? But what could I do to make him happy? Then, in an instant, his hands grew so long, and his face was filled with a compassionate smile, gripping my throat, he said, ‘Die with me, Mommy!'”
Fangfeng’s hand moved to her neck, as if she could still feel the coldness of that hand.
“Fangfeng, it was just a dream. You’re in so much pain, let me take you to the hospital tomorrow,” Yaer said, his heart aching as he saw her in such distress. “Nothing is more important than you.”
“I’m not going to the hospital!” she protested vehemently. “I want to give birth to him! Neither you nor I have the right to kill him!”
“Okay, okay, we won’t go to the hospital,” he had never seen her so agitated. “Let’s get married right away.”
“I won’t marry you,” Fangfeng stared at Yaer, “I will marry Yewei, not you!”
“What did you say? Say it again!” Yaer thought he might have misheard.
“I will marry Yewei!” she articulated each word with chilling clarity.
“You don’t even love him! Marrying him won’t make you happy!” He grabbed her shoulders.
“Love can grow after marriage,” she didn’t show any weakness, her voice louder than his.
“Can you really forget me? Forget the love I’ve given you? If you can never escape my presence, will you ever find happiness?” He tried his best to persuade her.
“I can be unhappy, but my child must have a happy life. He can’t live under our shadow. Once people find out about our relationship, everything will lose its meaning!” Her voice lowered, her face showing a resigned despair.
Yaer looked at her, feeling a chill of despair spreading through his body.
Chapter 14
Ye Fangfeng finished packing her clothes and went downstairs with her suitcase. Yewei was waiting for her outside.
“I can’t let you go! Ye Fangfeng, we will be happy,” he blocked her path.
“Let me go, please. Let me leave here,” she remained calm. She couldn’t afford to be weak!
“You leaving me would mean the end of my life,” Yaer’s gaze was earnest and resolute. “If you want to kill me, do it now.”
“I don’t want to kill you, I just want to end this! Yaer, how many times do I have to say it for you to understand? I can’t watch all three of us being destroyed.” She put down her suitcase. “Yaer, I am very grateful for your love. But now let me tell you once more, everything is over! Before people know the truth, before you face misfortune!”
“I don’t care! I can bear the scorn of the world, the misfortunes of fate, but the only thing I can’t bear is losing you! Stay, I once asked you, and you agreed!” His heart was breaking, his desperate look for love would make any woman feel sorry for him.
Her tears streamed down uncontrollably. “My dearest, I’ve hurt you so much! I’m sorry, Ye Er! I am a selfish woman; your love is something I cannot refuse. In this world, only you love me to the point of madness, and I only want to accept your love. Only you give it wholeheartedly. Forgive me, please forgive me! Staying by your side will only bring you misfortune, and I cannot accept such an outcome. Ye Er, listen to me, just this once, let me leave!”
“Your words only show that you’ve never loved me. I’m not afraid of the misfortune you might bring, but you choose to escape.” His heart felt like ashes, as if all sensations had vanished. “You can’t escape the bond of fate; from the beginning, you’ve only pitied me. Ye Feng, from childhood to adulthood, you’ve been too kind to know how to refuse. Doing this will only make me love you more.” He gritted his teeth, “Fine, I’ll let you go. You can be free now, no one will drag you to hell again!”
She shook her head in sorrow and picked up her suitcase, heading towards the door. After putting on her shoes, she turned around. “I love you, Ye Wu Feng, truly deeply love you! Unfortunately, it’s fate. Goodbye!”
He didn’t stop her. As the door closed, the sound of a car driving away came from outside, and Ye Er leaned against the wall, her heart aching.
“Ye Feng, the one I love so deeply! How can I bear to lose you? All I want is to pursue true love in life, to live with you. Is this simple wish also a sin?”
The first stop of the nationwide tour concert for the Wind God Band was Guangzhou, scheduled to depart in two days. Lin Mu Chun was particularly concerned about Ye Er’s mental state.
“Will you sing with your heart?” Chun watched Ye Er, who had been drinking continuously.
“Don’t worry, I will persevere.” His face looked terrible.
Chun calculated the time; Ye Feng had been gone for ten days, and today was May 20th. “You haven’t held a woman for a long time. Ye Er, call your lover, or perhaps your son…” She couldn’t bear to see him so downcast.
“What’s the use of finding them?” He slumped over the bar counter. “Ye Feng left, she was so cruel! Why did she do this to me?”
“Ye Er, cheer up. She loves you; she left you out of necessity!” Ten days ago, Chun received a tearful call from Ye Feng, which made her deeply sympathize with their situation.
Meanwhile, Ye Feng was at her apartment in Yongwei.
“I’ll go deliver the invitation,” she said.
“He’s my brother, I’ll deliver it myself.” Ye Feng finished packing her luggage and took off her apron. “You don’t need to see me off or wait for me.”
“Will you be staying there overnight?” Ying Chen put down the newspaper.
“Of course not.” Ye Feng took her suitcase from her room, “I’m heading out.”
The taxi arrived at Ye Er’s residence. The driver was curious and asked her, “Do you know Ye Er?”
“A friend.” She paid the fare and waited until the car was far away before she took out her keys and opened the door.
“Ye Feng!” Hearing the noise, Lin Mu Chun walked to the door.
“Is Ye Er here?” Her mood was quite complicated.
“Encourage him to cheer up; twelve tour concerts are waiting for him. I should leave; the main event is waiting for me at home.”
Lin Mu Chun tactfully withdrew, leaving them to meet alone.
“Drinking too much is bad for your health.” Fengqian took away his wine bottle.
“Fengqian.” He suddenly looked up, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his embrace. Holding her waist tightly, he didn’t want to let go. “Are you back?”
“Ya’er,” she said indifferently, “I’m here to give you a wedding invitation.”
“You’re lying! You said you wouldn’t marry anyone else!” Ya’er pushed her away and gripped her shoulders forcefully.
She raised her hand, gently touching his handsome face and holding his long hair. “Ya’er, I will keep my long hair. Remember, I keep it for you! In this world, I only love you and the child you gave me. I want to protect both of you from harm.”
“Doesn’t this hurt me? Isn’t that harm?” He completely didn’t understand her logic.
“Not everyone can live with their true love. Life isn’t just about love.” She pulled out a pink invitation from her bag.
“Which family would accept you?” He asked sourly, unable to change her determination, which had been unyielding since childhood.
“Yongchen insists on marrying me because I have his child.” It seemed like the relationship between Fengqian and Gongpa would be hard to handle. From the social status of Yong’s family, Yongchen’s choice of bride should be a prominent figure.
He opened the invitation. “June 11th? I might not have time to attend the wedding; I have a concert.” His finger that touched the invitation hurt.
“Work hard then.” She forced a cheerful smile, “I’ll cheer for you!”
He hugged her tightly. “Best wishes, my dearest sister!”
