The restaurant was quite famous in Hangzhou, and as soon as the dinner hour arrived, the ground floor lobby was already full.
Lu Mingzhe brought Fang Shuya in, and a waiter immediately came to greet them and explain that only private rooms were available.
For anyone else, dining in a private room for just two people might seem unnecessary, but Fang Shuya found it just right.
Accustomed to a life of luxury since childhood, she disliked the noisy atmosphere of the lobby.
"It's fine, then we'll take a private room."
"Certainly, please follow me."
The waiter led the two of them inside and upstairs on foot.
Just then, Xiang Wan, who had received a call from Director Qian, was coming down to meet him, talking on the phone as she descended.
"Okay, I'm coming down now. I'll meet you at the entrance. Just stay put."
Hearing a familiar voice, Lu Mingzhe turned his gaze in surprise.
And then he saw again the slender, pretty figure from yesterday's rain.
So, he hadn't been mistaken yesterday; that figure was indeed Xiang Wan.
Xiang Wan, focused on what was in front of her, moved quickly, just like yesterday, and instantly brushed past him.
Fang Shuya was still walking forward with the waiter, only Lu Mingzhe stopped.
Watching her elegant retreating back, he paused for two seconds, his first instinct being to chase after her!
So she was in Hangzhou!
After so long, Xiang Wan had come to hide in Hangzhou!
How interesting.
He had once exhausted all his efforts and connections, searching high and low for her, but to no avail.
Now, after giving up the search, he casually came to Hangzhou for something and ran into her with such ease.
She looked so young.
Her skin and her overall demeanor seemed very good.
Her clothing and style even had more charm, more sexiness, and more allure than when she was with him...
Lu Mingzhe's nose felt a sharp sting. A thousand complex emotions, the moment he confirmed it was her, surged from the soles of his feet into his cerebral cortex, then gathered at the tip of his nose and the corners of his eyes.
Making him want to cry.
He hadn't heard any news of her for a full year.
He thought he had completely given up on Xiang Wan.
He thought his heart had become as still as water.
He thought that with a new person, he could start a brand new life.
But now, just seeing her profile and her back had overturned everything he had painstakingly built.
His pounding heart, his throbbing nerves, his boiling blood – everything was telling him—
You haven't forgotten her. You can't forget her. Stop deceiving yourself, Lu Mingzhe.
He felt a deep ache, a sorrow that made him want to cry, realizing his own weakness and feeling an unprecedented sense of defeat.
He had thought that during the time she was away from him, Xiang Wan must have also suffered.
After all, their love had been so sweet, and Xiang Wan had seemed so invested.
But now, look at her. Xiang Wan was Xiang Wan.
She was different from ordinary women.
Her will was forged of iron, her heart made of steel rebar, concrete, and cement.
While he was half-dead, she seemed completely unharmed.
Nothing and no one could hurt her.
And, wasn't she pregnant?
When she left him, she was over three months pregnant. Judging by the timeline...
Lu Mingzhe had so many questions he wanted to ask her.
Once, he thought these questions would remain buried in his heart forever.
But now that he had encountered her, he couldn't wait another second!
Thinking this, he was about to rush downstairs when Fang Shuya called out to him.
"Honey, what are you spacing out about? Why aren't you walking?"
Lu Mingzhe stopped again.
Fang Shuya's voice instantly pulled him back to reality.
What right or face did he have to question Xiang Wan?
Although she had left him without a word, Lu Mingzhe knew deeply that it was his mother's doing.
Now, he was in a marital relationship with another woman, a legitimate marriage, a relationship he had never given Xiang Wan.
He had even brought this woman to Xiang Wan's presence. On what grounds could he question her?
The seed of regret sprouted at this moment.
Lu Mingzhe wished he could grab a sharp knife and stab the him from six months ago.
Why couldn't he have held on?
Why couldn't he have waited a few more months?
Your mother drove Xiang Wan away, and you actively abandoned your feelings for each other. Now you still want to question her? Lu Mingzhe, where do you get the nerve?
He retracted his steps, letting Fang Shuya link her arm through his and pull him forward.
Upstairs, there was a courtyard-style corridor. Only one private room, named Cui Song Ge, was available. The waiter led them in and was about to close the door.
Lu Mingzhe felt a tightness in his chest and slumped onto a chair, unbuttoning his shirt.
"No need. Leave the door and windows open."
The waiter, thinking he was hot, quickly opened the window.
"The weather in Hangzhou has been quite humid lately. It's good to open them for ventilation. What kind of tea would you like to drink?"
Lu Mingzhe couldn't speak.
Because through the open door and window, he saw Xiang Wan at the entrance of the private room across the corridor, smiling charmingly as she accompanied a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a beer belly, entering intimately.
As soon as they entered, Xiang Wan closed the door of the private room.
He couldn't see or hear anything.
But the mere thought that the person he longed for day and night was right before his eyes, accompanying such a man, made him unable to breathe.
An inexplicable anger welled up inside him, making him restless and irritable, seeing everything as displeasing.
"Bring a pot of Longjing. Isn't Hangzhou's Longjing the most famous?"
Fang Shuya gave instructions to the waiter. Seeing Lu Mingzhe's poor state, she thought he was worried about Lu Qingxu's affairs. She thoughtfully ordered a few dishes and asked the waiter to leave.
She moved her chair closer to Lu Mingzhe, linked her arm through his, and asked softly.
"What's wrong? Still thinking about what the doctor said today? I know you're upset about what happened to Qingxu, but you're not a doctor, and thinking too much won't help. Can't you spare some energy for me?"
"I'm supposed to be on my honeymoon with you, but look at you."
Fang Shuya was gentle, beautiful, and sensible; there was nothing to fault about her.
Logically, marrying such a beautiful wife was something many men dreamed of.
But at this moment, with her arm linked with his, to Lu Mingzhe, she felt like a sticky earthworm in damp weather.
His whole body rejected her.
If he didn't create distance, he would feel nauseous. He quickly pulled his arm away and leaned back.
"Don't be like this, Ya Ya. I'm feeling a bit unwell."
Fang Shuya then noticed his pale, unhealthy complexion.
"What's wrong? Where do you feel unwell? You were fine when we were driving just now. Did you catch a cold?"
He hadn't caught a cold.
Lu Mingzhe felt unwell in his stomach, his head, his heart...
He suddenly thought of Zhan Bei Jue.
When Jiang Nan Fang left, Zhan Bei Jue remained single for many years.
Everyone sent countless women to his side, but he pushed them all away with strong reactions.
At the time, he didn't understand, attributing it to after-effects from some trauma. Now, looking back...