Lin Xinlan ultimately compromised. She couldn’t defeat him, and if she resisted to the end, she would only be hurting herself.
Helpless, she had no choice but to kneel and tend to his wounds.
But her motions were not at all gentle, nor did she intentionally cause him pain. She treated him like a piece of wood, like something devoid of life.
Looking down from above, Qiao Yiyang’s eyes were filled with tenderness as he gazed at her quiet profile.
He really wanted to reach out and touch her hair, but he refrained, unwilling to break the tranquility of the moment.
"Xinlan..." he called her name softly.
Lin Xinlan did not respond. He continued speaking to himself, "You can hurt me, but don’t hurt yourself in the future, alright? I know my actions have troubled you greatly, but I can’t let go of you."
Lin Xinlan paused slightly, her gaze lowered to hide the coldness in her eyes.
If he understood everything, he shouldn’t treat her this way.
Did he only care about himself, unaware of the great harm he was causing her?
Qiao Yiyang sighed, "Xinlan, you’ll never understand how someone who has lived in darkness for too long craves the sunlight. If there is a sliver of chance to grasp the sunlight in life, one would spare no effort, even at the cost of their life..."
After bandaging him, Lin Xinlan stood up and asked coldly, "What if, even after sacrificing your life, you still can’t obtain it?"
Qiao Yiyang was briefly stunned, a flash of dimness crossing his eyes, followed by a smile, "I believe that persistence will pay off. Even if it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. At least I had the chance to pursue it. Some people never get the chance to pursue anything in their lifetime."
Lin Xinlan glanced at him, said nothing, and pointed to the sofa, "You should sleep there. I’m going to bed."
The man rose reluctantly and pleaded pitifully, "Can’t I really sleep here? Look, the bed is so big, it could fit five or six people. You sleep on that side, and I’ll sleep on this side. I swear I won’t cross the line."
"I hope you keep your word! Otherwise, I will never believe what you say in the future."
"Fine, I’ll sleep on the sofa."
That night, Lin Xinlan slept restlessly.
Curled up in her blanket, her whole body coiled tightly, she remained on alert for anything Qiao Yiyang might do.
In fact, he didn’t do anything to her, and when she opened her eyes the next morning, Qiao Yiyang had already left.
Lin Xinlan breathed a sigh of relief, but the fact that he hadn’t done anything to her last night didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future.
With nothing to do in the villa, Lin Xinlan went to chat with Lu Xiaofan.
In truth, she was seeking information.
She heard from her that Rong Shaoze was also in the city, though one was in the south and the other in the north, maintaining a certain distance.
But for Lin Xinlan, she felt very close to Rong Shaoze. This distance, to her, was negligible.
Every day, she stood by the window, gazing into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rong Shaoze.
Even her mood was different when she breathed.
Because she and Rong Shaoze were in the same city, the air they breathed was from the same city.
Could this be considered a simple form of happiness?
Rong Shaoze, when will I be able to see you at last?
Several nights in a row, Qiao Yiyang and Lin Xinlan slept in the same room.
The sofa in the bedroom was large and soft, and Qiao Yiyang always slept on it. Nothing had happened between them.