Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Aunty, I’m going to leave Capital City before Shao Yibai returns…”
Su Qingcheng’s declaration stunned Shao Jingshan and his wife.
He was the proud chief of the military compound, but he was as helpless as any other mortal now. Shao Jingshan’s dark pupils faintly darted around while he lowered his face but remained silent.
“Little Su, are you sure…”
Jiao Shuzhen never imagined that the girl who always seemed so calm would want to leave Shao Yibai now.
“Yes, I’m sure… Uncle, aunty, I’m going to leave now. I’m not going to wait for Shao Yibai to return. He’ll never let me leave when he’s back! It’ll hurt less when I do it now than later… Once I’ve left… He’ll love someone else in the future… I’m not going to waste his time…”
Fat tears rolled down her face uncontrollably. She did not shed any tears when her parents sold her off or when she was dragged to the Yunnan-Burma Junction. She never cried when she was forced to starve for an entire day either.
The world that she had built in her mind collapsed when she thought of leaving Shao Yibai. It felt as though she was being crushed and she was in so much pain…
Shao Jingshan glanced at his wife before he shifted his gaze toward his daughter-in-law. He could not hide the conflicted feelings in his heart. Finally, he lowered his voice and said, “You’ve made this decision, but what’s going to happen when Yibai returns? I’ve raised that boy and I’ve seen his temper. My son isn’t going to just let this matter go!”
“Don’t worry, uncle. I won’t let Shao Yibai find me. Once a long time has passed and he’s failed to locate me, he… He won’t wait for me anymore!”
Su Qingcheng forced herself to speak while she choked back her sobs.
God was extremely cruel to play with her feelings like this. Everyone else was allowed to have a happy ending except for her.
“We can provide you with some assistance…”
Jiao Shuzhen hurriedly said.
“There’s no need.” Su Qingcheng quietly declined. Her doe-like eyes were already swollen from crying. She rubbed her temples. There was a nasal tone in her voice when she said, “Since I’m already planning on leaving, I don’t want… I don’t want to leave any traces behind. I can survive on my own in the real world. I’m not the same weak girl anymore…”
Shao Jingshan sighed and paced around the courtyard. A moment later, he spoke in the domineering tone that was used by officials and said, “Little Su, please take some money so that we can be at ease!”
Su Qingcheng, “…”
*
Flight number A254 flew from Mo Du to Luo Hai. Half an hour later, it landed on the runway of Luo Hai’s airport.
At the same time, flight number C356 departed from Luo Hai’s airport and flew toward Capital City…
On the plane, Shao Yibai took a gift box out of his pocket that contained a classic diamond ring.
A terrible scandal had occurred during Yuan Xuan’s wedding. Shao Yibai was there to witness Mu Chenyan being dragged away and he noticed how helpless Yuan Xuan was.
Some couples were forced to undergo challenges before they could be together. This made Shao Yibai very emotional. He was thankful to God because he and Su Qingcheng were a happy couple who had never experienced serious setbacks…
*
Capital City
Su Qingcheng’s apartment was completely silent. The pitch-black night sky engulfed Shao Yibai’s calmness.
Two hours ago, he managed to locate the department where Su Qingcheng was doing her internship by going to her school. Her cell phone was turned off and she had completely disappeared without a trace.
Shao Yibai stood at the area downstairs her apartment and gazed at the familiar window. He could not understand this at all. The woman was still talking to him on the phone three hours ago. She promised that she was waiting at home for him with the soup that she had already boiled. However, she ended up cutting off contact with him instead.
Su Qingcheng did not have any other friends in Capital City. She generally did not go anywhere else aside from the department and her apartment.
She would probably not be in any danger because she was skilled in martial arts.
The department of her internship also stated that she was still at her post in the morning. Once she had finished her work, she requested for leave in the afternoon. Everyone assumed that she wanted to meet Shao Yibai…
This strange situation gave him an indescribable sense of panic. He continued to smoke while he repeatedly dialed that familiar number.
*
Shao Family Mansion
Shao Yibai enlisted the help of all his connections and continued to search for her until it was late at night. He saw that Shao Jingshan was waiting for him at the doorway when he returned to the mansion. He greeted in a dull voice, “Father…”
Shao Jingshan nodded. He patted his son’s shoulder and murmured, “Yibai, Little Su has left!”
Shao Yibai resembled a wild beast with fur that was standing on end. His hawk-like eyes exuded chills. “You knew about this too?”
He left no stone unturned when he searched everywhere for Su Qingcheng. Did his parents already know that she was gone while they were at home?
Jiao Shuzhen’s face was filled with remorse and helplessness when she walked out of the house. “We knew that she left, but…”
Shao Yibai’s voice was hoarse when he coldly spat, “Did you chase her away while I was gone?”
He regretted his decision not to bring along Su Qingcheng to Luo Hai with him. He also felt remorseful for allowing her to return to Si Chuan on her own to get her documentation done.
“We never chased her away!” Jiao Shuzhen was terrified of her son’s gaze. He looked at them as though they were his enemies. In a shrill voice, she yelled, “She decided to leave on her own.”
Shao Yibai did not believe her. He threw his jacket off. His hands trembled as he took the ring from his pocket that he had prepared earlier. His eyes were bloodshot while his cold voice quivered as he asked, “Why would she leave when I was about to marry her?”
“Tell me, where is she?” Shao Yibai seemed slightly mad as he had lost control of himself.
Shao Jingshan knew that Shao Yibai would not willingly let the matter go. He felt a dull ache in his heart when he noticed that his son was terribly worked up. The expression on the man’s face darkened as he passed a cigarette to Shao Yibai. “We don’t know where she went.”
The rims of Shao Yibai’s eyes reddened. He took the cigarette and crouched on the ground. A long time passed before he muttered, “Both of you are really cruel! Why did you do this? Tell me why!”
“Son, look at this report… We weren’t trying to be cruel…” Jiao Shuzhen sobbed as she passed the results of the premarital health checkup to him.
Shao Yibai took it from her. When he glanced at it, he instantly understood why.
Suddenly, he lowered his head and laughed maniacally. His laughter sounded strange but miserable. It became louder as it echoed throughout the night sky. “Is it because of this? You’re such an idiot!”
Jiao Shuzhen knew that Shao Yibai was scolding Su Qingcheng. She could not stop her heart from hurting when she saw how much her son was suffering. She wailed loudly beside Shao Yibai.
“Father, mother, how could you be so narrow-minded? I can’t believe that you let her go because of this.”
Shao Yibai stopped laughing, but his eyes were still red when he asked, “Why didn’t you consider my feelings? What made you think that you had the right to make this decision for me? Why does it matter if she can give birth to my children or not?”
Shao Jingshan did not answer. He restrained himself and watched as Shao Yibai spiraled out of control. Finally, he sighed and patted Shao Yibai’s shoulder. He calmly said, “To be honest, we have a certain role to play in situations like these because we’re your parents, Yibai. However, she was already very determined when she left…”
Shao Yibai shook his father’s arm off and charged into the night.
…
Su Qingcheng’s apartment was still as sweet as before. As an extremely feminine young woman, she had filled the simple apartment with pink-colored elements that she really liked.
Shao Yibai picked up the ragdoll on the sofa that he used to despise for a long time. The ragdoll still had a faint smell of the woman’s fragrance after her shower.
The plants on the table had recently been watered, while a pair of her little underpants was still drying on the balcony that faced the south.
The ingredients in the fridge were still fresh. Su Qingcheng sat here in the morning and promised to make him soup…
It was all a lie.
She was already prepared to leave at that moment!
