Being stared at by Qi Bufan, Dai Chukong was a little nervous.
However, Qi Bufan’s eyes were very clean. He did not have the kind of palpitation a single man should have when he saw a young and beautiful woman. This made Dai Chukong understand that Qi Bufan really did not have those romantic thoughts.
“Chukong,” Qi Bufan said. “You’ll always be Daddy’s girl.”
Upon hearing this, Dai Chukong’s heart suddenly ached so much that she felt suffocated. Being stared at by Qi Bufan, she could only force a smile, but her heart was crying.
“Stop talking. I’m tired.” She turned over and pretended to be asleep, but her tears wet the pillow.
That night, she could not sleep.
The next morning, the duo woke up and realized that there was fatigue in each other’s eyes. It seemed that they had not slept well last night. Although they had sensed each other’s abnormality, they had tacitly not exposed each other’s disguises.
“Where are we going?” Dai Chukong was curious about the destination they were going to today.
Qi Bufan did not explain and only led her into a taxi. When they got in, Dai Chukong noticed that Qi Bufan was carrying a food box.
The driver asked them, “Where are we going?”
Qi Bufan said, “The Cemetery of Martyrs.”
Upon hearing this, the driver felt a sense of respect. Meanwhile, Dai Chukong thought of something and her face turned pale. The martyrs’ cemetery was filled with deceased soldiers who had contributed to the country. Dai Chukong’s father was buried there.
After guessing the purpose of Qi Bufan’s trip, Dai Chukong’s hands were clenched tightly, and her heart almost stopped.
The atmosphere in the car became heavy.
Time passed slowly but quickly.
The taxi stopped at the entrance of the cemetery. After getting out of the car, Qi Bufan carried the food box and walked in front. Dai Chukong stood at the entrance and hesitated for a long time. In the end, she slowly raised her feet and walked in.
The two of them walked forward one after another.
Qi Bufan stopped in front of a tombstone. On the tombstone were the words “Dai Ruoheng”. Dai Ruoheng was Dai Chukong’s father, Boss Dai’s name. Qi Bufan ignored Dai Chukong. He pressed his chest and slowly squatted down in front of the tombstone.
Qi Bufan opened the food box and took out the cooked food that had been prepared. He placed them in front of the tombstone one by one. He opened a pot of wine and poured it into the two empty glasses in front of him. He poured a glass for Dai Ruoheng’s tombstone.
He put down the glass and picked up another glass of wine. Ignoring his injuries, he raised his head and finished the glass of wine.
Dai Chukong stood at the side and wanted to stop him, but she heard Qi Bufan say, “Captain, this glass of wine is for you.” He put down the glass and the glass faced down, not a single drop of wine dripping down.
He said, “Thanks to you, I was lucky enough to live another ten years.”
He poured two more glasses of wine, poured one for Dai Ruoheng, and drank another one for himself.
“This second glass of wine is to thank you for taking care of me back then.”
He poured the wine for the third time, spilled a glass on the grass in front of the tombstone, and drank it himself. “This third glass of wine is my apology.” He put down the glass, his eyes gradually turning red.
Qi Bufan’s squatting legs suddenly knelt on the cement floor.
“What are you doing!” Dai Chukong was shocked and furious. She wanted to help Qi Bufan up.
Qi Bufan reached out his right hand and growled, “Chukong, don’t touch me.”
Dai Chukong gritted her teeth and hesitated before giving up.
She looked at Qi Bufan kneeling in front of Dai Ruoheng’s tombstone and heard him say in a painful voice, “Captain, the worst thing I did was to bring Chukong to my side to raise her.” If he didn’t raise her, this girl wouldn’t take the wrong path.
“I’ll always remember what you said. You hoped that Chukong would get into a good university in the future and find a suitable man to live a stable life with. However, I raised Chukong, but I didn’t teach her what’s right and what’s wrong. Perhaps my upbringing was wrong, or perhaps my actions were inappropriate, causing this child to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t have.”
“Captain, I’m sorry. I caused Chukong to go down the wrong path.”
Dai Chukong could not listen anymore.
She was on the verge of breaking down. She reached out to pull Qi Bufan’s arm and said as she pulled, “Get up. Why are you kneeling to him? I like you. I’m the fool who wants to love you. You didn’t provoke me!”
Qi Bufan did not move.
He said, “You’re still young. You’re the child I raised single-handedly. You made a mistake. It’s my fault. I didn’t do my job as a father well and let you go astray. I’m guilty!”
Dai Chukong was about to cry. “Qi Bufan, get up! I won’t allow you to humiliate yourself like this! I just like you. Do you have to do this?” Dai Chukong was about to shatter.
No one could understand how painful it was for Qi Bufan to kneel down and apologize to Dai Ruoheng’s tombstone.
At that moment, she suddenly regretted it.
She should not have confessed to this man.
How could such a serious man, a man who only treated her as his daughter and doted on her, have other thoughts about her? Dai Chukong hated herself. Why was she so disappointing? There were so many men in the world. Why did she have to fall in love with him?
Only then did Dai Chukong notice that Qi Bufan’s face was a little weak. That’s true. His body had not recovered in the first place. How could he feel good after coming all the way to Shen Cheng’s freezing cold place and drinking without caring about his health?
Upon seeing how uncomfortable he was and how the source of his guilt and self-blame was himself, Dai Chukong regretted it.
She loved him so much that when she saw him frown, she felt like the whole world was about to collapse.
“Qi Bufan, don’t be like this!” Dai Chukong knelt beside Qi Bufan. She hugged Qi Bufan’s body and leaned her head on his shoulder, saying over and over again, “Qi Bufan, don’t be like this. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have loved you. I shouldn’t have made things difficult for you…”
“Qi Bufan, don’t kneel down to him. He saved you willingly. You raised me on his behalf. Both he and I are grateful to you. Don’t kneel. If you do this, he… My father won’t be at ease even if he dies in the netherworld!”
Qi Bufan closed his eyes and let Dai Chukong hug him.
His figure swayed, and he suddenly used his long arms to carry Dai Chukong into his embrace. Dai Chukong froze in her embrace, and she heard Qi Bufan say to her in an almost apologetic tone, “Sorry, Chukong. Sorry, I can’t fall in love with you…”
Dai Chukong did not dare to move.
Qi Bufan added, “In the past few days in the hospital, I’ve tried to love you as a man, but I couldn’t do it…” He hugged her even tighter. This hug did not contain any love or desire. It was very clean and helpless.
“If I love you, that’s good too. At most, I’ll break through the shackles of the mortal world and marry you. But I have no choice. I don’t love you. Chukong, I’ve tried. I really can’t fall in love with you…”
Every word he said was like a knife stabbing Dai Chukong’s heart.