Chapter 658: Chapter 658: Xu Chaomu Is Too Cunning
The entire ward was filled with quietude, as the sunlight lingered and danced, spilling across the floor from the window.
“I often felt that I was calm and mature, but now that I think about it, I was quite childish,” Zhou Ran also smiled bitterly.
It turned out that in the face of love, age didn’t matter; one would always become a fool…
She had been asking Shen Cexian for that photo for so many years, just so she could keep looking at his youthful self. After all, that was the only photo of them together from their youth.
Although, Xu Mengxi was also in it.
“Aran…” Shen Cexian finally spoke, “Do you know why I never wanted to give you the photo?”
“Why?” Zhou Ran asked indifferently.
“The same as you,” Shen Cexian smiled ruefully.
Zhou Ran paused, “Because… it’s the only photo of you and Xu Mengxi?”
“No, with you,” Shen Cexian’s eyes reddening.
It turned out that their thoughts were so unexpectedly in sync. It was just a pity that because neither of them wanted to give in first, because neither wanted to share their feelings with the other, they had missed so many years.
By the time the truth came out, they had already missed the best of times…
Zhou Ran was stunned, she truly had never considered such an answer. Even though Shen Cexian was telling her in person now, she simply couldn’t believe it.
She lowered her head, still holding her arms slightly, and it took a long while before she spoke.
“Cexian, actually, I don’t believe it, because, I know that for all these years, the person you loved was Xu Mengxi.”
“Yes, when we were in college, when we had just gotten married, I couldn’t forget Xu Mengxi,” Shen Cexian confessed, “But slowly, I realized that I no longer felt right without you…”
Despite being over fifty years old, Zhou Ran felt a surge of bitterness in her heart when she heard these words and lowered her head.
“Saying these things, after all, is too late,” Shen Cexian then closed his eyes, shaking his head.
He never even hoped for Zhou Ran’s forgiveness; the worst thing he had done was to bed Liu Rumei while drunk, not long after they got married.
He had no feelings for Liu Rumei; it was only because he couldn’t forget Xu Mengxi.
Liu Rumei’s eyes looked so much like Xu Mengxi’s that the moment he first saw Liu Rumei, he couldn’t help himself.
“Aran, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, Shen Cexian’s tears flowed freely…
This was a belated “I’m sorry,” and he hadn’t expected that he would have the courage to say it to her face in his lifetime.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, you don’t need to apologize to me,” Zhou Ran said lightly, “To blame, blame our stubbornness.”
Those years, she had never once said “I love you” to him, despite loving him, pretending not to.
“Aran… come here…”
Shen Cexian stretched out his hand, his gaze blurred; he wanted to hold her again.
Zhou Ran turned her head, and as she turned around, her gaze met Shen Cexian’s tear-streaked eyes.
His hand trembled from the recent surgery, but he insistently held it out.
Zhou Ran walked over slowly and, as she drew close, placed her hand in his.
He held her hand tightly, clenching it; he thought that this time, he wouldn’t let go again…
Zhou Ran sat by his bed, just quietly watching him, tears welling up in her eyes too.
Back then, they hated each other so much they even said things like “whoever dies first loses,” but now, she merely said, “Live well.”
Live well, perhaps there is still a long road ahead…
“Let bygones be bygones. Who hasn’t made mistakes?” Zhou Ran spoke calmly.
He was at fault, and so was she.
Shen Cexian didn’t speak again, only holding on to Zhou Ran’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go.
They sat there together, watching the setting sun slowly dip below the horizon, the orange glows reddening the whole city. Birds soared and cried incessantly.
In the evening, a servant brought over the porridge Zhou Ran had asked to be made.
“I’ll feed you the porridge,” Zhou Ran picked up the bowl and spoke to Shen Cexian in a tone one would use with a child.
Shen Cexian didn’t like porridge; he frowned and shook his head, “Isn’t there something else?”
“What else? The doctor said you’ve just had surgery, so you can only eat a bit of liquid food. This millet porridge, which took half a day to cook, is the best,” Zhou Ran said earnestly.
Shen Cexian still frowned, unable to eat.
Zhou Ran scooped up a small spoonful of porridge and fed it directly into Shen Cexian’s mouth.
Caught off guard, Shen Cexian had no choice but to eat.
“At your age, and still such a rascal,” Zhou Ran chided, and after speaking, she fed him another spoonful.
Shen Cexian had no room to argue because his mouth was always full of porridge.
However, as he ate, he realized that the porridge actually tasted quite good, very fragrant.
“Did you make it yourself?” Shen Cexian asked.
“I didn’t have the time today,” Zhou Ran glanced at him indifferently.
“Then make it for me another day.”
“We’ll see,” Zhou Ran replied.
Shen Cexian smiled, his lips curling into a slow, childlike grin.
His gaze never left Zhou Ran’s face; since their divorce, the number of times he had seen her could be counted on one hand.
Did she know that every time he saw her, his gaze lingered on her face?
Zhou Ran didn’t have much to say; she just silently fed Shen Cexian the porridge.
As the sun outside the window slowly set, and when it sank beneath the horizon, the city lights came on, lighting up the night with vibrant colors.
The high-end ward area was very quiet; no noisy sounds could be heard, it was suitable for peaceful recovery.
After finishing the bowl of porridge, Zhou Ran sat beside him and they chatted.
They had never been this close in their lifetime.
Only, Zhou Ran hadn’t expected that in her lifetime, she would have moments like these.
“Aran, what are you planning to do about Achi?” Shen Cexian asked her seriously.
“What else can I do, you said you didn’t want to see him,” Zhou Ran replied.
“I don’t want to see him, but after all… he’s still my son,” Shen Cexian said, helpless.
“He’s just bewitched for the time being; he will come to his senses. One day, he will understand that love isn’t everything.”
“That girl Xu Chaomu, she’s too cunning, has been clinging to Achi all these years.”
“Everyone knows that marrying Achi means a life of ease and she’s no fool,” Zhou Ran said lightly.
“Does she love Achi that much?” Shen Cexian asked sorrowfully, “She’s just exploiting Achi’s love for her. She won’t even sign the divorce papers and won’t get rid of the child that isn’t his.”
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“She wants to have it all, to win everything.”
“I heard that Achi even let her work at the corporation,” Shen Cexian sighed.
“I heard that too, it’s just that outsiders don’t know the nature of their relationship.”
Shen Cexian was silent for a while, filled with heartache, helplessness, and of course, anger.
After a long time, he spoke again: “Aran, all these years, have you ever wondered who Xu Chaomu’s father is?”