Their gazes met. Seeing that her expression had returned to normal and her eyes held a determined look, Lu Mingzhe knew she was fully awake.
Feeling a surge of happiness, he reached out to brush her hair, but Xiang Wan gently dodged his touch.
"Your phone rang just now. Fang Shuya called you many times."
Lu Mingzhe's face darkened. He finally understood why she was sitting there alone.
For a moment, he didn't know how to speak to her.
After a few seconds of silence, he let out a soft sigh.
"I'll say it again. I will handle my relationship with her properly. You don't need to worry about this."
"How will you handle it? Divorce her when you get back?"
Xiang Wan shook her head slightly. "But I don't want you to handle it that way."
The sweet atmosphere, which had lasted only a few hours, suddenly dimmed again.
Lu Mingzhe felt an indescribable pressure.
"What do you mean? What do you want to say?"
Xiang Wan's expression and tone were very calm. "I don't want to say anything. I just want to tell you that things are quite good between us right now."
"When two people break up, the hardest part is the initial period. But we've already gotten through that, haven't we?"
"Since you've chosen to look forward and made promises to her, you must stick to them. Not for me, not for yourself, but for your daughter, for your future children. Let them know you are a responsible and dependable man."
"I don't deny that I liked you very much before, and there's still a trace of fondness left in my heart. But feelings are something that can be endured and also transferred."
"Back then, you chose to marry Fang Shuya, surely because you saw certain qualities in her. If we hadn't met again, and with time, your love would have transferred to her, wouldn't it?"
Xiang Wan made sense.
But the problem was, Lu Mingzhe had already met her again.
His love for her had been reawakened, and it was impossible for it to transfer to someone else.
"So, you want to dump me again?"
"It's not dumping you. Be more mature, A Zhe. The adult world isn't just about romance; there are many responsibilities and commitments. Even if we got married and were truly together, we would encounter all sorts of bumps and bruises. Can you guarantee that our love wouldn't disappear amidst these challenges?"
"A girl who has been married for only a few months and is ruthlessly abandoned faces scrutiny and self-doubt that might be beyond your imagination. One cannot be so selfish."
Lu Mingzhe knew that divorcing Fang Shuya, only a few months into their marriage, would be a huge blow to her.
But he would compensate her materially to the best of his ability.
Xiang Wan shook her head. "Does she lack your money? She doesn't seem like someone who lacks money. Besides, you really don't understand women's psychology."
"Women in love can be content with just water and feelings. For love, they can wander the world with a penniless man, let alone she doesn't lack anything?"
"I've felt your intention to try and win me back, to compensate me, to try and be good to Nian Nian. I won't hate you, and I won't stop you from seeing Nian Nian in the future, nor will we become strangers."
"I will accept your help. I'll buy Nian Nian a good house so she can receive a good education in the future. I'll also find a job that isn't so public-facing."
"You go back and live well with her, and I'll live well with Nian Nian. I believe we will both get better and better in the future."
Lu Mingzhe didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear it.
He couldn't even imagine Xiang Wan, a single mother, living with her child.
It would be too difficult.
How could she endure her child and the person she loved living such a hard life, while she started anew from afar?
But Xiang Wan said, "I won't be suffering. Don't think of me as being that miserable. The hardest times were pregnancy and childbirth, and I've gotten through that. As Nian Nian grows older, what other hardships will there be?"
"Without you, without Tang Haichao. There will be new people who like me too. How can you be so sure I will be alone for the rest of my life?"
"Be more optimistic. We will truly all get better."
It seemed she had thought about it for a long time, thought very clearly, and spoke so logically that Lu Mingzhe couldn't refute her.
For the umpteenth time, he regretted impulsively marrying Fang Shuya, harming himself, and her.
Even more, he had harmed Xiang Wan.
Indeed, Xiang Wan made sense. Fang Shuya was a good person, devoted to him. Breaking up like this would hurt her.
But he understood the logic; he just couldn't let go of Xiang Wan!
"Don't do this, Xiang Wan, don't force me. Please, I don't want to be separated from you."
His heart ached terribly, throbbing with pain.
Lu Mingzhe buried his head in Xiang Wan's lap. Xiang Wan gently patted his head.
"I didn't say we have to separate immediately. While Grandma is hospitalized, I still need your help."
"Let's have a few more days to buffer. Tell me if there are any wishes left unfulfilled, and I'll try my best to cooperate with you."
"Let's part amicably. Let's not leave any regrets this time. Let's separate on good terms, okay?"
She was too gentle. The kinder she was to him, the more Lu Mingzhe couldn't bear to let her go.
This was truly a problem too difficult, too difficult to solve.
If he could trade ten years of his life for the answer to this question, Lu Mingzhe would choose it without hesitation.
After lying on her lap for several minutes, Xiang Wan's legs went numb. Lu Mingzhe finally looked up, his eyes red.
"But I just want to marry you, want to go on a honeymoon with you, want to live with you."
"I want to experience life with you from beginning to end, otherwise, I won't be reconciled. My heart will never be at peace. How can you make me choose?"
"Then I will marry you, go on a honeymoon with you, and live with you for a few days."
"But you must promise me that after doing all this, you will return to her side. If we meet again in the future, either you will both appear together, or you will entrust someone else to look after Nian Nian. Can you do that?"
Looking at her calm face, listening to her composed words, Lu Mingzhe thought:
How is your heart made? How can you be so strong?
To say such heartless, despair-inducing words so calmly, I wish I had half your strength.
I don't want to be a mature and responsible man. Even if everyone calls me a good-for-nothing, a scumbag, I'll accept it.
I just don't want to be separated from you. No matter what, it's not allowed!
It was at this very moment that Lu Mingzhe made up his mind. He would handle his relationship with Fang Shuya as quickly as possible behind Xiang Wan's back.
The reason she said this was nothing more than her pretending to be magnanimous, blaming him for not handling his relationship with Fang Shuya properly beforehand.
She was indirectly blaming him. Believing her would be foolish!
"Okay. I can do that. But you have to promise me one condition."
"Hmm?"
"From now on, you listen to me. At dawn, we'll go to the hospital, bring Nian Nian, and spend a few private days together."
"During these few days, I will entrust my grandmother to my brother's care. You are not allowed to be distracted. As mentioned above, you must accompany me wholeheartedly."
"Otherwise, I will never forgive you."