Although feeling completely drained, Lu Weixi refused to rest her head on Qin Zhiyouâs shoulder. It was only after he reached out to hold the back of her head and gently pressed it against his, did she lean in with a sense of listlessness.
The room was climate-controlled, with the central air conditioner gradually dispersing the layers of chill. In the quiet room, apart from the hum of the air conditioner, the only other sounds were their breaths.
After a long while, Lu Weixi recovered from her fatigue. Resting her head on Qin Zhiyouâs shoulder, she spoke in a weak voice, âQin Zhiyou.â
âMhm.â Qin Zhiyou didnât move, nor dared to say anything more. He just maintained this position.
âIf something were to happen to my mother, perhaps, things between usâ¦â
âNothing will happen to your mother, she is fortunate, nothing will happen.â Qin Zhiyou comforted her, but deep down, he had no idea what might unfold. The health of the elderly can be unpredictable.
But if he hadnât said so, he would also remain restless.
âIâm not threatening you, nor am I joking.â Lu Weixi had been keeping her head down as she spoke, so her voice sounded a bit muffled, âMy mother is my most precious kin, sheâs a significant part of my life. If something happened to her, there would be no chance of us being together.â
âWeixiâ¦â Qin Zhiyou lowered his head and saw the top of her head. His voice was slightly hoarse. He didnât understand how things ended up this way. They had made progress in their relationship, he had even assured her that there would be no more rumors.
âQin Zhiyou, you are truly despicable,â Lu Weixi said through gritted teeth, âWhy did you choose someone like Liu Yiyi? Why didnât you break contact with Liu Yiyi earlier? Why did you make my mom receive such news at this time? Whyâ¦â
Why couldnât you sort your affairs with all those women sooner, why couldnât you remain faithful to your marriage!
Why couldnât it have happened earlier, even if by a few daysâ¦
Every accusation from Lu Weixi seemed to cut him down, with each word she spoke, he appeared to shrink. By the time she stopped accusing him, Qin Zhiyou was nearly sitting on the ground.
What could he say? He was at a loss, on the brink of losing himself.
Throughout the five years of their marriage, each time her indifference would irritate him, he would be sought after by other women. Of course, he did this for the so-called âpublic image,â but also to spite her. Look, he thought, thereâs no shortage of women who adore him if she wasnât interested.
He let things slide as long as the situation didnât become crucial. As one woman succeeded another, he thought he could control the intensity and wouldnât let it get out of hand, allowing these possible incidents to materialize. What happened to Luâs mother may have seemed like an accident, yet, it was bound to happen the way he was indulging himself.
âIâm sorry.â
Although he realized that an apology at this point was futile, he still uttered those words.
Lu Weixi shook her head resolutely: âI donât need your apology.â
Qin Zhiyouâs voice stumbled slightly: âI know. Once your mother wakes up, I will say these words to her myself.â
Lu Weixi opened her mouth as if to say something, but didnât utter a word eventually.
That night, Luâs mother did wake up. The first thing she said when she opened her eyes and saw her daughter wasâ¦