The man looked deeply at her and remained silent for a while before he clenched his teeth and said in a low voice,
"I know, I know the child is very important to you, but because of my deception, he died.
I also know that Yun Feiyang is equally important to you, and because of me, he is now in a coma, possibly never to wake up again.
I’ve harmed the two people you care about the most, so you hate me, you won’t forgive me again, I understand all of this!
You think I don’t want to let you go, to let myself go? But I can’t let go, I don’t know how to let go, I don’t have the courage to let go!
An Ruo, they are very important to you, but you are even more important to me.
If you can’t let go of them, can I let go of you?"
An Ruo’s eyes flickered slightly as she looked at him without speaking.
Tang Yuchen took a deep breath and asked sorrowfully, "An Ruo, they are very important to you, what about me then? What is my place in your heart? Don’t you love me anymore? Isn’t it said that the depth of love equates to the severity of reprimand, your hatred for me, is it because you love me too much?"
"You think too highly of yourself." She calmly rebutted him.
"My love for you ended on the day I had the difficult birth. Tang Yuchen, do you think I am so lowly, that after you’ve deeply hurt me multiple times, I would continue to love you?"
"..." The man pursed his thin lips, his eyes filled with loss, not a glint of light to be seen.
She really didn’t love him anymore.
When she used to love him, he hadn’t cherished it from the start. Now, having lost her love, he realized the love he had from her was too fleeting.
Just like a cactus flower, brief but beautiful.
"Can you love me again?" he asked painstakingly.
"Don’t say it!" he hurriedly interrupted her, "You don’t need to tell me, I know. But could you give me one chance, if you still can’t fall in love with me, I will..."
An Ruo waited expectantly for him to continue.
Facing her eyes brimming with urgency, he found it even harder to speak. It was as if he were being asked to cut off a piece of his own flesh.
"You’ll do what?" she countered.
"...I will let you go, I won’t force you anymore," he said, straining to get the few words out.
An Ruo’s eyes shimmered, unsure if these were truly his words.
Tang Yuchen affirmed in a grave tone, "Give me one year’s time, but you are not to reject my kindness towards you, nor to push away my closeness. After one year, if your resolve to leave me is unchanged, I will let you go."
"Why wait a year? I can tell you now that my decision will remain the same after a year."
"Since that’s the case, then accept my request. What are you afraid of? After all, your resolve won’t change. Could it be that you are afraid you will change your feelings towards me?" the man asked pointedly.
An Ruo sneered, "Afraid? Very well, I accept your request. I will give you one more year."
It was also to give herself one year’s time.
From then on, they would each take their separate paths, cleanly severing all ties.
Seeing her agree, Tang Yuchen didn’t know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or to feel more lost.
After one year, did he really have the confidence to keep her?
If he couldn’t keep her, he would have to completely let go of her...
"Let’s go up to rest," said the man, not daring to continue thinking. He took her hand and pulled her up to stand with him.
"You go to sleep, I’ll..."