Nan Qing's eyelashes trembled, and she gently shook her head.
He felt a stinging sensation in his nose and his eyes were burning.
He didn't want to discuss topics that would expose his vulnerability, so he spoke in a muffled, low voice.
"Aren't you going swimming anymore? You swim so well, you—"
" My Qingqing."
The man interrupted his attempt to change the subject, his voice growing even gentler as he softly stroked his neck from the top of his head, coaxing him.
You can try to trust me.
The deep voice carried a certain calming power, but Nan Qing kept her eyes down and didn't say a word.
Huo Yuzhou paused, then took his hand and pressed it against his chest.
" Huo Yuzhou will never betray his young master."
" My Qingqing, I will always stand by your side, just like you stood firmly by my side many, many years ago."
Nan Qing lowered her head, looking at the smooth tiles at her feet, her voice muffled.
"When? I've forgotten myself."
" Huo Yuzhou, I'm not as good as you think. I'm superficial, have a bad temper, lack a sense of security, and have many flaws."
Even if I helped you in the past, it was just a small favor, nothing to me, so you don't need to take it to heart.
"You don't need to feel guilty about this, and you've decided to give me emotional compensation."
Her thick eyelashes drooped below her eyes, giving her a bewildered and vulnerable look.
The voice was very soft, and the language was straightforward and descriptive.
"I no longer want anyone to give me emotional compensation."
Huo Yuzhou's sharp brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of reluctance appeared in his eyes.
He unconsciously tightened his grip on Nan Qing's hand.
"It's not compensation."
" Qingqing, it's because I've always liked you that I kept bringing up those things, hoping you'd feel pity for me and like me a little more."
"Besides, Baby, even if you had never helped me before, or even worse, and bullied me every day, I would still turn my hatred into love and walk this path of loving you again."
" Qingqing, you don't have to be good enough, more gentle and kinder than everyone else in the world, to deserve to be loved."
Even if you do nothing, just sitting here, your husband already loves you enough.
Nan Qing's fingers slowly tightened. "Then what do you like about me?"
Huo Yuzhou, afraid that he would hurt himself, gently pried open the fingers that were digging into his palm.
Her voice was soft and gentle, "Love has no reason, Baby."
Nan Qing forced a smile, suppressing the stinging emotion that welled up from her heart to the tip of her nose.
"Is it because there's no logic that things change so quickly?"
"So when you're in love, you make vows of eternal love, even to the point of life and death. But once that intense moment of passion fades, everything changes."
"Like an enemy—no, more terrifying than an enemy."
"Because lovers understand each other far better than enemies, when they stab each other, they always aim for the most vulnerable spots. In the end, even the once unforgettable love becomes repulsive, like a jar of rotten, stinking garbage fermented by microorganisms. You can't even bear to look at it, let alone smell it; you'd almost vomit."
Huo Yuzhou frowned repeatedly, his heartache almost overflowing from his narrow eyes.
" Baby, why do you think that way?"
"Were you misled by any books, movies, or other sources?"
"You're still so young... Other kids would be busy dating, Baby, what's wrong?"
Nan Qing broke free from his grasp, and just like before, hugged herself tighter and curled up into a ball.
It's like some kind of mollusc has taken refuge in a parasitic shell.
That way, it won't matter if we encounter danger.
If you can't see it, you won't be afraid; if you can't hear it, you won't worry.
At least for this moment, it is safe.
The lights above the swimming pool were exceptionally bright, illuminating the clean, translucent floor in a cold white light.
But Huo Yuzhou felt as if a sharp knife had been plunged into his heart, the sharp blade rotating and scraping along the softest part of his heart, leaving it bleeding profusely.
A flicker of pain crossed his deep black eyes, filled with heartache.
Huo Yuzhou didn't know how he got up. He knelt down in front of Nan Qing, gently pulling him into his arms. His large hands patted Nan Qing's back softly, his deep voice tinged with a sigh.
"It's my fault; I shouldn't have talked about topics that upset our Baby."
"It's okay, you don't have to like me."
"No matter what, we're best friends, right?"
The person in his arms remained motionless. Just as Huo Yuzhou was guessing he probably wouldn't get an answer, the person in his arms twitched their fingers slightly, the sound soft and faint.
" Huo Yuzhou, don't love me anymore."
Love yourself. Only you are truly reliable and will never betray yourself.
" Huo Yuzhou, give up on me."
-
Nan Qing said she wouldn't sleep, but Huo Yuzhou held her in his arms for a long time before she finally fell asleep.
Huo Yuzhou carried him all the way back to the bedroom, carefully tidied his messy hair, and covered him with a blanket.
The curtains blocked out the sunlight, making the bedroom dimly lit.
Huo Yuzhou sat beside him and gently touched his face.
Whether it was many years ago or now, Nan Qing always looks much more well-behaved when she's asleep. She has a small face the size of a palm, breathes sweetly, and looks harmless.
But once they wake up, they start making a fuss.
Even their mischievousness is adorable; their eyes are wide open, and they seize every opportunity to show off.
Despite looking like a tiny little kid, he always wanted to be the eldest among his peers.
Huo Yuzhou's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile as he leaned down and gently kissed his forehead.
A few moments later, he turned and went to the other balcony, just as he was about to call his therapist, Gu Xingchen's number dialed at that very moment.
Guess what major discovery I've made!
Gu Xingchen spoke in a relaxed tone, but her voice carried a certain mischievousness.
Huo Yuzhou glanced in the direction of the bedroom, lowered his voice,
"Um?"
Gu Xingchen hissed, "Unhappy? Did you have a fight with your sister-in-law?"
It wasn't really an argument, it was just that I was rejected after confessing my feelings.
"Do you two even need to confess your feelings? Stop torturing us with your lovey-dovey moments!"
Gu Xingchen's carefree voice came from over there, lazily.
"I'm not saying this is your kind of fun or what?"
"You and your sister-in-law like to play this chase, this back-and-forth tug-of-war, a game where you're never really in a relationship?"
Gu Xingchen hummed in skepticism.
"Isn't this kind of relationship more exciting?"
"I didn't notice that."
The curtains were lifted slightly by the wind outside, and sunlight fell on the floor, casting small patches of dappled light and shadow.
Huo Yuzhou stared blankly at the small patch of light, his voice calm.
He rejected me.
"He rejected you? What are you talking about, bro?"
Gu Xingchen laughed through gritted teeth, "You two are so lovey-dovey, kissing 800 times a day, what's the difference between that and being in a relationship?"