Willing to Be for Her - Chapter 33

“What? You’re going to look for her?” Qin Shiyi’s mind raced with a million thoughts, convinced Ning Yiqing was on the verge of madness.

First, he broke his vow by drinking alcohol, and now he’s taken up smoking. Truly, living long enough means seeing everything.

She understood Ning Yiqing’s reasoning. As the Alpha heir to the Ning Family, he was destined to be paraded before the public, forced to maintain a dignified smile, engage in insincere social niceties, and navigate complex interpersonal relationships.

Surrounded by flowers and praise, he was being roasted over a blazing fire. Not everyone would trade freedom and ease for overwhelming wealth and power.

Qin Shiyi chuckled softly. Luo Xuan did indeed seem detached and composed, unlike someone blinded by fame and fortune.

Ning Yiqing’s plan was utterly absurd and despicable.

In the early summer night, the rain shifted between heavy downpours and light drizzles. A few leaves fell from the cherry tree, and a hint of bewilderment returned to the woman’s eyes.

Ning Yiqing took a deep breath—damp, scorching, and suffocating. His voice remained light and airy as he said, “I’m certain I can find Xiao Xuan.”

“Are you out of your mind? Yi Qing, tell me, are you even thinking straight right now?”

“Not out of my mind, just hopelessly foolish.”

Only now did Ning Yiqing realize the absurdity of her actions. Her vaunted logic, reasoning, observation, and decisiveness were nothing more than arrogant self-delusion.

Overreliance on her own abilities had led her down a path of no return.

She deserved this.

“Where do you think you’ll find Luo Xuan? You must be either insane or dreaming.”

“Everywhere,” Ning Yiqing replied, a genuine smile spreading across her face. “Xiao Xuan’s old home, the seas… she’ll be there.”

The smile carried a hint of youthful innocence, momentarily freezing Qin Shiyi in place. It felt as if time had reversed, as if she had once seen Ning Yiqing smile like this before.

The only time she could recall, Ning Yiqing had also been talking about finding someone.

Qin Shiyi shook her head, dazedly brushing rain-soaked hair from her eyes. *This must be a hallucination brought on by Ning Yiqing’s feverish ramblings,* she thought.

“I don’t know what’s happened to Luo Xuan, but you’re clearly delirious,” Qin Shiyi said, stepping forward to press a hand against Ning Yiqing’s smooth, delicate forehead. As expected, it burned with fever. “You’re risking your life coming downstairs with such a high temperature. Why aren’t Le Ran and Sister Zhou keeping an eye on you?”

“I’m fine. The room was too stuffy, so I came out for a walk. I’ll go back soon,” Ning Yiqing said, her voice regaining its usual calm tone as she reassured Qin Shiyi not to worry.

“Alright, but aren’t you afraid of the dark? It’s so dark here. I’m going home soon, and you’ll be alone and scared.”

“I won’t be. The stars will keep me company.”

Qin Shiyi instinctively glanced at the night sky. There were indeed many stars, but their faint light barely illuminated the courtyard. The dampness of the dew-soaked grass quickly soaked the hems of their pants.

“Why don’t you go back to your room and look at the stars through the window? The courtyard is cold and windy; it’ll only worsen your condition.”

Qin Shiyi expected Ning Yiqing to stubbornly refuse, but the woman suddenly seemed to remember something. Muttering to herself, she said, “You’re right. I need to go back and find my star lights.”

Qin Shiyi assumed Ning Yiqing was delirious from the fever and didn’t dare respond directly, fearing she would start talking about finding Luo Xuan again.

*How can you find someone who’s already passed away? This is just nonsense.*

Back in the villa’s living room, Ning Yiqing summoned the butler and quietly inquired about the star lights.

The butler frowned, glancing between Lan Leren and Qin Shiyi for a long moment before finally recalling something. He hurriedly said,

“The Eldest Miss instructed me to store it carefully. It should be in the storage room of the other annex building,” the Butler replied.

“Perfect, I’ll go look for it myself,” Ning Yiqing said, taking the warm towel and wiping his forehead. His pale, refined face retained a faint blush, as white as frost and as alluring as crimson.

“Eldest Miss, you should rest in your room and recover. We’ll find it for you. I recognize the Star Lamp,” the Butler said, carefully observing Ning Yiqing’s complexion. “The doctor advised complete bed rest. You must follow medical instructions.”

Ning Yiqing shook his head. “I want to find it myself,” he murmured. “What if you can’t find it?”

The others reluctantly yielded to the patient’s wishes. Lan Leren followed behind, silently chanting Amitabha Buddha, hoping Ning Yiqing would recover quickly.

The garden path to the annex building wound through lush greenery. Inside the storage room, various items were neatly organized and meticulously arranged, spotless and dust-free. Ning Yiqing walked straight to a small cherry wood cabinet.

As Qin Shiyi watched, she said earnestly, “Yi Qing, you simply loved the wrong person—someone unsuitable for the needs of a wealthy family.”

If she had loved someone more compatible, perhaps she wouldn’t have endured such tortuous, bittersweet entanglements.

In this mortal realm, who can precisely control love and hatred?

It could only be said that, regrettably, Ning Yiqing and Luo Xuan were not the most suitable people to love each other.

However, the woman only heard half of Qin Shiyi’s words, replying with a seemingly calm tone, “It was my love that was wrong.”

Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the star lights she had ordered to be removed earlier.

In truth, throughout her life, she had diligently tried to correct herself, striving to avoid impulsiveness, stubbornness, and emotional outbursts.

She practiced self-discipline, guarded her solitude, maintained moral clarity, and refrained from crossing boundaries or indulging in excessive desires.

Yet, after all her efforts at self-improvement, she found it all rather absurd. She was, at her core, a selfish utilitarian, unwilling to change even slightly.

The fragrant cabinet was empty, save for a square of crocheted silk used to keep out dust.

The butler looked embarrassed. “I placed it here, but perhaps… perhaps Miss Luo Xuan took it herself.”

“Xiao Xuan took it?” Ning Yiqing’s eyes suddenly lit up as she clutched the crocheted silk. “Did she take it just now?”

“No… not just now,” the butler replied awkwardly, exchanging glances with Qin Shiyi and the others, yet hesitant to elaborate. “It must have been earlier, the day you brought Miss Luo Xuan home. She came back one day to retrieve it.”

Ning Yiqing closed her eyes.

Besides the dandelions and baby’s breath, did Xiao Xuan truly want to leave nothing for herself?

Even the sole permanent mark was fading. Every night, Yi Qing could clearly feel the traces of Xiao Xuan within her body diminishing, little by little.

Powerless to stop it, she felt like a stranded fish, watching helplessly as the moisture evaporated.

*Yes, I was the one who abandoned Xiao Xuan first. Why should I expect her to keep waiting for me?*

She had once hoped Luo Xuan would mature, realize that love wasn’t everything in life. She even wished Luo Xuan would accept the truth cheerfully, free from sorrow, stubbornness, and pain.

Now, Luo Xuan had long moved on, drifting further and further away, making herself impossible to find.

*It turns out the one clinging to sorrow, stubbornness, and pain was me all along.*

At this point, it was nothing but reaping what she had sown, inviting her own suffering. Ning Yiqing walked alone to the door, tilting her head to gaze at the stars above. Her fingers, like the ribs of a fan, gripped the silk handkerchief so tightly they turned white.

Seeing her distress, Lan Leren’s mind raced. Suddenly, he remembered something Luo Xuan had left behind.

“President Ning, I recall that when Miss Luo Xuan went abroad, she gave you a gift. Before leaving that night, you instructed us to put it away. It should still be on the wooden shelf in the manor’s study.”

As memories and thoughts flooded back, Ning Yiqing’s eyes reddened, her face paled, yet her gaze flickered with a faint light. “I’ll go get it now. The corporate jet should be ready to take off immediately.”

“President Ning, President Ning!” Lan Leren scurried after the ailing Ning Yiqing, her voice urgent. “Please slow down! I’ll go get it for you. It’s not good to fly with a high fever. Besides, it’s just an object—it won’t disappear.”

The heavy night wind swirled through the lamplight, carrying a misty dampness that permeated the air.

Ning Yiqing stopped, her slender, graceful silhouette blurring in the fog.

Qin Shiyi and Lan Leren expected her to agree rationally, as she usually did. But beneath the night’s gloom, her porcelain-pale face, though frail, radiated unwavering resolve.

“I can’t wait.”

*Can’t wait?*

*What can’t she wait for?*

Watching Ning Yiqing’s hurried departure, Qin Shiyi felt bewildered. Perhaps she couldn’t comprehend why Ning Yiqing stubbornly clung to the belief that Luo Xuan was still alive.

Everyone had assumed Luo Xuan was the one who had been abandoned. Yet no one had anticipated her decisive clarity. She had cried when she was first discarded, but after that, she had moved on, forging a new life.

In the end, Ning Yiqing was the one left behind.

For Ning Yiqing, this was an obsession, utterly without reason.

“Hey, Yi Qing, are you still managing the company? There’s a stack of documents waiting for your approval.”

The vintage limousine was ready. Ning Yiqing lowered the window, revealing his aloof, cold face, as distant as the stars and moon. He said softly, “Video conference. I’ll handle it on the plane.”

*Fine,* Qin Shiyi shrugged, giving Lan Leren a pointed look that meant, *Take care of Ning Yiqing. He’s not thinking straight right now.*

Lan Leren understood the message but felt powerless to act.

After all, President Ning wasn’t usually like this. Ever since his divorce from Luo Xuan, the cancellation of his marking removal surgery, the annulment of his engagement, and bringing Luo Xuan back to the villa…

None of these actions seemed like something Ning Yiqing would do.

She herself was now completely at a loss, forced to take things one step at a time.

After a flight of over ten hours, the White Sandalwood wooden box was finally retrieved. The small, exquisitely crafted box exuded a perfectly clean fragrance, and inside lay an intact, intricately carved star ring.

The cracks and fissures on the box’s edges seemed to mirror the countless wounds in someone’s heart.

“Deploy search teams nationwide for Xiao Xuan, especially in coastal cities and a place called Xiye.”

Sitting before the warm fireplace, Ning Yiqing’s dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, her profile tinged with the dampness of a recent bath. Her porcelain-white skin was flushed with an unhealthy, feverish red.

“But the Second Miss has already searched everywhere,” Lan Leren murmured, her voice soft with concern. “Searching the entire country would be a massive undertaking. Is it really necessary?”

Lan Leren wasn’t worried about the effort involved; she feared the emotional toll on Ning Yiqing. Clinging to such a slim hope would only lead to heartbreak.

Besides, whether Luo Xuan was alive or dead, she likely wouldn’t want to see Ning Yiqing again. Even if she were still alive, how could she possibly be found so easily?

“Send more people. Use my private funds,” Ning Yiqing said, her fingers tracing the wooden box. Distracted, she accidentally grazed her finger on a splinter.

A thin line of bl00d welled up from the shallow cut. She stared blankly at the rust-stained box.

The box had once been polished smooth by Luo Xuan, but after it was broken and left unattended for so long, splinters had sprouted from the damaged edges.

Sensing Ning Yiqing’s deep melancholy, Lan Leren sighed softly and quietly withdrew from the room.

That same day, they flew back to Capital City. The electric double sofa in the private jet reclined into a barely comfortable double bed.

The flight attendants frequently brought fresh fruit platters, soda water, light white porridge with side dishes, Michelin-starred meals, and ice packs for cooling.

After two video conferences, Ning Yiqing finally lay down to rest, clutching the White Sandalwood box in her palm as she gazed silently at the darkness beyond the porthole.

The private jet was equipped with its own landing strip and shuttle service. Four black sedans glided to a stop on the tarmac. As Ning Yiqing descended the aircraft stairs, she was greeted by more than one person waiting to receive her.

Old Master Ning had exchanged his cane for a pewter one, with Ning Yixin at his side. Qin Shiyi leaned casually against a car, waving a lazy greeting to Ning Yiqing.

Upon seeing Ning Yiqing, Old Master Ning immediately ordered his companions to forcibly take his granddaughter to the hospital, muttering incessantly about her “neglecting her health,” “acting foolishly,” and how “now that she’s grown up, she’s become stubborn and disobedient.”

Forcibly admitted to the hospital, Ning Yiqing’s condition deteriorated rapidly: panic attacks, high fever, insomnia. She drifted in and out of consciousness for days, during which Xia Zhiwan paid her a special visit.

“President Ning, after much consideration, I wanted to tell you that Xuanxuan had said she didn’t want a funeral. She disliked the idea of people disturbing her. I hope you understand.”

To Xia Zhiwan’s surprise, Ning Yiqing merely lifted her lashes slightly and agreed without further comment.

Ning Yiqing’s surprisingly swift acceptance left Xia Zhiwan somewhat bewildered. Was he truly coming to terms with Luo Xuan’s death, or had he simply swung to the opposite extreme?

Still, after so many days, the dust should have settled by now.

Even now, Xia Zhiwan remained convinced that Ning Yiqing had never truly loved Luo Xuan, feeling at most a sense of guilt.

Now, Luo Xuan should finally be free, Xia Zhiwan thought.

As she left the hospital room, she ran into Ning Yixin, who wore a guilty and regretful expression. Xia Zhiwan quickly pulled her aside, urging her not to let anything slip.

“You look like you’re about to betray us. You swore you’d help Luo Xuan escape her suffering. Weren’t you supposed to be her biggest fan?”

“I know, I’m not that disloyal,” Ning Yixin replied, her eyes weary. “My sister is extremely suspicious. Don’t let her frail appearance fool you—she hasn’t for a moment accepted this as truth.”

Xia Zhiwan fell silent, sighing softly. “We rushed this a bit, but humans are forgetful creatures. A day or two, a week or two, a year or two… eventually, she’ll have to let go.”

“What if she can’t?” Ning Yixin shook her head, then corrected herself. “You’re right. I think my sister will recover soon. I’ve never seen her experience such extreme emotional highs and lows before. This is definitely an unusual situation, but she’ll be fine in time.”

She sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

“But you and I both know they’re not right for each other. Forcing them to stay together will only prolong their suffering,” Xia Zhiwan said, her heart heavy for Luo Xuan.

“You’ll take good care of Luo Xuan, won’t you?” Ning Yixin suddenly asked. Her willingness to help wasn’t just because of Chi Li; it was also because she deeply admired Luo Xuan’s wood carvings. This was her way of helping Luo Xuan escape the Ning Family’s sea of bitterness.

“I will. Away from Chairman Ning, Luo Xuan will only thrive. I believe the same will be true for Chairman Ning.”

Ning Yixin paused, about to murmur something about her uncertainty, when she saw Lan Leren emerge. She quickly said goodbye to Xia Zhiwan and walked into the ward with feigned nonchalance.

On the hospital bed, Ning Yiqing lay pale and gaunt, an IV drip in his left arm. The once vibrant man had withered overnight, his vitality extinguished.

Like a piece of fine, warm jade, its luster dulled by excessive erosion.

With the biomedical project entering its final stages, Qin Shiyi had to steel her resolve and accompany Ning Yiqing on whirlwind trips to various cities, attending banquets, networking, and delivering speeches.

The constant social obligations were exhausting. Everyone was worn out, except for Ning Yiqing, who seemed to thrive in the chaos. Her condition was a stark contrast to her severely ill appearance just a week prior.

By 11 p.m., they finally escaped the evening’s social engagements. A heavy rain was falling outside. The black business car’s climate control system maintained a steady warmth, while the driver, impeccably dressed, continuously swept away the rain mist from the windshield.

Several impeccably dressed business elites approached to exchange farewells.

“Chairman Ning, President Qin, now that the new drug has reached its final trial phase, we assure you we’ll stand firm until the end. We won’t let you down.”

The silver-rimmed glasses reflected the dim glow of the rainy night. Ning Yiqing adjusted her glasses, her deep-set eyes gleaming with steady resolve. “Good. The drug’s market authorization has been secured, and negotiations for national health insurance coverage are imminent. Let’s push through this final stretch.”

Qin Shiyi smiled in agreement. “You’ve all been instrumental to our success. We’ll be relying on you even more in the future.”

After exchanging further pleasantries, the group dispersed.

Lan Leren arrived with two umbrellas just in time. The business car’s door swung open, waiting for them to step inside.

This was a coastal city where the night wind carried heavy rain and a sense of freedom to everyone.

Ning Yiqing held her umbrella and walked slowly through the downpour, extending her other hand beyond the brim to feel the shape of the wind.

Lately, her sleep had been fragmented. In short, aside from work and meals, all she did was sleep.

Her sleep was fitful, as if she struggled to find peace.

After walking a short distance, she suddenly remembered something and turned back to Qin Shiyi, instructing her in a low voice, “The Subsea Energy Exploration Project has been approved by the board with a large majority. I’m entrusting you with finalizing the medical project. Report any developments to me immediately.”

“Understood. I’ll keep a close eye on our major projects. I heard the new drug you wanted still hasn’t been successfully developed?”

“We’re still investing in it,” Ning Yiqing replied.

Qin Shiyi’s lips moved, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. *Even if they develop the drug now, what’s the point? The person it was for is gone.*

“Oh, by the way, did Ning Ziqi’s entertainment company sign Luo Wei?”

“Ning Huan’s affairs are entirely under Ziqi’s management,” Ning Yiqing said in a businesslike tone, her profile in the rain looking aloof and refined. “You can contact him directly if you need anything.”

“What about Yixin? She’s neglecting her duties to film movies, scout models, and shoot fashion magazines. Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”

The woman folded her umbrella and settled into the car, removing her suit jacket and closing her eyes to rest. Dressed in pristine white, she glowed like the moon, her posture straight yet her entire being seemed more relaxed.

“That’s Yixin’s dream. She should do what she loves. I… I’m genuinely happy for her.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. They don’t have the burden of succession, so they can follow their hearts. You’ve shouldered all the responsibilities for them,” Qin Shiyi murmured, propping her head on her hands, her eyes still drowsy. Occasionally, she caught Ning Yiqing turning to gaze intently out the window.

“Responsibilities… ha,” Ning Yiqing scoffed, flipping open the documents on the tray table and skimming them absently, his eyes cold.

He had completely returned to his usual self, never mentioning Luo Xuan’s name again. Their conversation in the courtyard—about “lovers,” “mistresses,” and “regretting mistakes”—now seemed like a dream.

Sometimes, Qin Shiyi even doubted if it had ever happened, wondering if she had fabricated the entire exchange in her sleep.

How could Ning Yiqing—so detached, so cold, so moonlike—have ever harbored such morally corrupt thoughts?

How could he have been moved by emotion, his voice trembling as he confessed his regret, his mistakes?

It was utterly absurd.

She simply couldn’t believe it. It must have been guilt, nothing more.

The conversation she’d had with Ning Yiqing that day—about love, selfishness, and everything in between—still felt like a daydream.

Lan Leren opened the document bag and handed Ning Yiqing the bound contract.

“This is the authorization for mining subsea mineral resources. After several rounds of negotiations with the other company, our representatives secured it at a relatively low price. Here’s also the tax certificate from the other company’s mining division.”

Ning Yiqing took the document and flipped through it with one hand, examining each page carefully.

Over the years, the Ning Group’s various subsidiaries had diversified into a wide range of projects. They possessed extensive knowledge of maritime energy, mineral extraction, the political shifts in local governments, and the entire industrial chain from upstream to downstream factories.

Ning Yiqing meticulously monitored these details, maintaining a casual yet rigorous oversight.

Qin Shiyi glanced over and remarked, “You’re suddenly buying sailboats and motorboats on a whim?”

Before she could finish, she spotted the purchase records for a super yacht and a sailboat harbor. “Yi Qing, these cost billions! Are you planning to go to sea? Don’t you think the ocean is too dark and scary?”

“Mind your own business,” Ning Yiqing said, her fingertips tracing the white paper without looking up. “It’s your vacation next month. Go have some fun.”

“Hmm, then can I borrow the sailboat and yacht?”

Ning Yiqing removed his silver-rimmed glasses, his pale fingers stroking the frames. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I’ll get you a new pair. These were custom-made for me.”

“Alright,” Qin Shiyi replied, not pressing the matter. After all, Ning Yiqing was wealthy; anything with a price tag was within her reach. “Want to hit the spa tonight? I’m exhausted. You’ve never been, right? It’ll be a good way to relax…”

“No, I need to prepare meeting materials tonight. I have to give Old Master Ning a six-month report tomorrow.”

“You really never take a break, do you?” Qin Shiyi murmured, gazing at the woman’s earnest, meticulous expression. *Even with all the money in the world, I wouldn’t want a life like this,* she thought.

Ning Yiqing’s gaze was calm and deep, momentarily hollow before returning to its usual sternness. She resumed reviewing documents, occasionally staring blankly out the window.

The heavy rain slowed the car’s pace. The driver deliberately slowed down further when pedestrians with umbrellas passed by to avoid splashing them.

Neon lights blurred through the downpour, and Ning Yiqing’s long silver hair cascaded like flowing light, evoking the image of a long-lost friend returning.

Qin Shiyi saw the woman’s gaze soften, as if frost had instantly melted into flame, without any intermediate stage. It was as if, in that fleeting moment, a spark had ignited, setting ablaze a barren land.

“Stop the car.”

The well-trained driver immediately slammed on the brakes. Qin Shiyi and Lan Leren didn’t even have time to react as the aloof woman pushed open the car door and plunged into the torrential rain.

The downpour was relentless, the rain shimmering like a fairytale realm, its iridescent beauty breathtaking.

Qin Shiyi couldn’t even stop Ning Yiqing as she watched her chase after the group of young people.

On the rain-soaked midnight streets, bathed in brilliant lights, the woman recklessly abandoned her dignity and dashed into the endless rain, heedlessly running toward the silver-haired girl.

The rain seemed to freeze in mid-air, the entire world suspended in time. The woman ran alone, her heart aching with a pain that could shatter mountains. Around her, people walked calmly, as if she were the only one weeping at the world’s edge, unnoticed and uncared for.

“Xiao Xuan, let’s go home.”

The silver-haired college student turned, her face registering shock as she saw the woman, drenched to the bone, water dripping from her hair, yet radiating a noble and breathtaking beauty that stirred the heart.

“What did you say? Are you calling me?”

It wasn’t Luo Xuan, just a fleeting resemblance in her profile.

If it had been Luo Xuan, she would have simply said, “Excuse me,” and brushed past, leaving without a word.

Ning Yiqing stood dazed, her eyes vacant, unable to even form a coherent response.

“Xiao Xuan… are you still… angry with me?” she stammered, her voice breaking as if she were sobbing.

“You must have mistaken me for someone else. My name isn’t Xiao Xuan.”

Raindrops trickled from the woman’s nose, making her pupils seem like hellfire burning in the darkness.

“I’m sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else.”

“It’s alright. Do you… need any help? I can lend you my umbrella,” the silver-haired college student instinctively offered, perhaps because no one could bear to see such a woman drenched in the rain.

“No need, thank you,” Ning Yiqing replied, her lips twitching in a feeble attempt at an apologetic smile that never quite materialized.

“Let’s go. We’re not in her league,” the student’s companion tugged her forward a few steps, then nodded toward the back. “Look at the license plate on her car—it’s worth more than a mansion in Capital City. What kind of person do you think she is?”

“But how could she mistake me for someone else?”

As they walked away, the student glanced back and saw the woman, who had seemed so aloof and detached, standing forlornly in the rain. Soaked and disheveled, she gazed silently into the darkness at the receding lights, her expression blank.

Her companion paused, seemingly infected by her melancholic tone, and murmured, “Yes, how could someone like that ever be wrong?”

Ning Yiqing stood rooted to the spot as Lan Leren and Qin Shiyi hurried to catch up, umbrellas raised.

A sharp, stabbing pain gripped her heart, leaving her breathless and paralyzed.

Suddenly, the city felt too small, so small that she could almost see Luo Xuan everywhere.

Yet it also seemed too vast, so vast that even the fastest, most expensive car couldn’t find her.

Fate had once gifted her a precious treasure, which she had foolishly lost.

Regret surged to its peak, but what good was it now? She regretted her mistakes, yet she herself was the root cause.

Her heart burned with hatred, fueling a desire for revenge, but even that was beyond her reach.

If only she could undo everything by punishing herself.

She dared not dwell on how Luo Xuan had died. Was it her fault?

If she hadn’t let go of Xiao Xuan’s hand, would things have turned out differently?

She had always believed herself capable of anything, yet she couldn’t even grant Xiao Xuan a long life.

Ning Yiqing remembered that all Luo Xuan had ever wanted as compensation was a bowl of steamed egg custard—something she had failed to provide.

*I truly am a terrible person,* she thought. *But I long to see Xiao Xuan again.*

*If we could meet again, and I could give Xiao Xuan happiness and health, would she live to be a hundred years old?*

In recent days, her dreams had grown more vivid. In them, none of the tragedies had yet occurred. They were still on the rooftop, gazing at the stars, and she could hear Luo Xuan saying, “See you tomorrow.”

In one dream, she replied, “We’ll have a lifetime together.”

As she dreamed this, the cherry tree outside her window scattered mountain fruits across the ground, its shadow swaying gently.

When she woke, she remembered that Luo Xuan hadn’t said “See you tomorrow,” but “This is the end.”

As if there were no past ties left to continue.

*Is it truly impossible for us to meet again?*

At that moment, Ning Yiqing wanted nothing more than for Luo Xuan to be alive.

“Yi Qing, are you sure you didn’t mistake someone for her?” Qin Shiyi asked cautiously.

“Yes,” the woman replied, “I mistook someone for her.”

“Let’s go back,” Lan Leren said, approaching with an umbrella to shield Ning Yiqing from the rain. “You have official business to attend to shortly.”

Ning Yiqing looked up, raindrops slowly trickling down her jade-like cheeks, as if dampening the moon in the sky.

Her phone vibrated—a reply from Chi Li.

President Ning, since you refuse to believe Xuanxuan is gone, I’ll take you to the place where she lies in eternal slumber.