His father had taught him how to be a better person.
Everything he owned now he owed it to his father. Perhaps he’ll never know what it feels like to be a father, but the word “father” meant too much to him. Lu Jin meant too much to him.
He grabbed his bag and from inside took out a pair of socks and shoes. These were his own shoes, packed by Ye Shuyun.
He slipped his shoes on and tied the laces. He felt a warm sensation at his back.
He turned around and saw Yan Huan, wide awake.
“Did I wake you?” asked Lu Yi, clutching her bandaged fingers.
“No. I couldn’t sleep,” said Yan Huan, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her chin against his shoulder.
56 hours had passed. It was almost 3 days.
The scenic Serene City was no more. This was the same Serene City she had seen in her past life—the cold, lifeless city was here to stay.
In her previous life, she didn’t know much about the earthquake apart from a lot of people dying, and among those Lu Jin.
At this time in her previous life, Lu Yi was still her archnemesis. She had done everything she could to help Lu Qin acquire the Lu Family. However, even without Lu Jin, Lu Yi was at a place where they could not reach or harm.
In this world, as long as there is Lu Yi, there will be Lu Qin. Lu Yi was Lu Qin’s greatest obstacle, and now along with Yan Huan too.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Lu Yi, squeezing her fingers gently. Why did a look of taunt and contempt creep up her face?
“I was thinking…” Yan Huan found a place to sit down. Lu Yi followed suit, waiting for her to go on.
“Lu Qin and his mother must be awfully smug right now?” Yan Huan cupped her face with her hands. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Lu Yi sneered. “Indeed. They were probably grinning in their own rooms when they heard about Dad being caught in the disaster. A lazy scheming piece of shit, that’s who Lu Qin is.”
“What can he do other than scheming?” said Yan Huan. She felt sick when she recalled Lu Qin’s greed and callousness.
“What can he do indeed?” asked Lu Yi. He felt a strange feeling. Yan Huan’s hate towards Lu Qin was different from normal hatred.
Her hatred for him was bone-deep. She might not have realized it herself, but a baleful flame of hatred burned in her eyes at every mention of his name, a flame that’s nearly consuming her.
And this wasn’t the first time either.
“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” Yan Huan touched her own face. “Do I look ugly?” She was aware that she wasn’t her most glamorous self, and was emitting a smell that would put over-pickled vegetables to shame.
Everyone wants to show their best part to their soulmates, and her? She didn’t try moving away or changing into new clothes. Instead, she took a whiff of her sleeves.
It smelled good.
“Does it smell good?” asked Lu Yi, amused. His eyes were warm with affection.
“Of course!” said Yan Huan. She would never admit to being smelly. That was who she was. In her previous life, Lu Yi had seen her in her most miserable state anyway, skinny like a ghost, covered in wrinkles, with her belly sliced open like a pig awaiting slaughter. A skinny pig at that.
That’s why she considered her current image as passable. She stroked her face—it was smooth and silky despite not having been washed. She should still look pretty.
Of course, she wouldn’t find herself smelly either. The smell was simply…unique.
Lu Yi reached out and embraced her. My wife always smells good. That goes without saying.
Yan Huan grabbed his buttons by force of habit. In that instant, the flame of hatred she bred for Lu Qin from her previous life died down a little.
Some things were more important than revenge.
Like loving the man before her and the home he gave her.
Lu Yi looked down at Yan Huan’s face. It was much thinner than before. She was originally skinny, and all that weight he had painstakingly helped her put on was lost. He would have to start from scratch when they get back.
Her chin was so sharp he worried it might pierce someone to death.
Of course, he dared not say that out loud. Yan Huan’s face shape was the modern definition of beauty—sharp chin, small face, large eyes. With those combined, she was insanely beautiful.
It was the beauty everyone loved, but he didn’t want her to be too skinny. He wanted her to be plump and well. Yan Huan was the type that had trouble putting on weight too. He had nearly been “force-feeding” her, but the effect hasn’t been great. Why was it so hard for her to gain weight and so easy for her to lose weight?
He stroked her hair gently as she slept on his lap. Near them, rescue teams were still racing against time to save as many lives as possible.
The number of people being saved by the day was decreasing. He knew the reason behind that—the optimal period for search and rescue was about to be over soon.
Countless lives lost, just like in every other disaster or major accident.
He sighed. The night proved sleepless.
Lu Jin woke up when the first light broke out. When he stood up, he realized that the pain at his feet had diminished. He looked down. When he saw the shoes on his feet, he had to fight back tears.
It had all been too shocking, really.
Until now, he dared not imagine what would happen to Ye Shuyun had he died. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her alone. They were husband and wife for a lifetime, and it wouldn’t do if any of them died. If that happened, can the other still live?
He turned around and peered at the sun that had made its way through the clouds.
At that moment, he felt his eyes heating up, and when he realized, tears were rolling down his cheeks in streaks.
Lu Yi walked over and handed him his phone.
“Go on. Give Mom a call.”
Lu Jin quickly turned around and smeared a hand across his face clandestinely. With quivering hands, he picked up the phone. Of course, Lu Yi wouldn’t have laughed at him in the first place. They both had someone whom they loved dearly. They understood.
Holding the phone, Lu Jin’s fingers seemed to have forgotten how to dial numbers.
