Their voices were not loud, but in the stillness of the room, she could hear every word with perfect clarity.
"What brings you here?"
His tone was unmistakably cold—so much so that Gu Lili wanted to cheer from her hiding spot upstairs. Yes, that's it, darling—keep that tone just like that!
"Beibei, you're married now."
Upon hearing He Meiwei's words, Gu Lili couldn't help but purse her lips. Beibei? Seriously?
"So? Did you come all this way to offer a belated wedding gift?"
"…"
He Meiwei sat on the opposite sofa, long hair cascading over her shoulders, her face pale and wan.
"No. I came here… after days of torment. Beibei, I shouldn't have left you without a word back then."
"Then get to the point. Why are you here today?"
Looking at her—this woman he hadn't seen in so long—Long Yubei's heart was a turbulent sea. She had once brought him laughter and joy.
To this day, he still didn't know the true reason for their breakup. Her farewell letter had never explained why she left.
She gazed at his face, her nose stinging with unshed tears. "I don't want you to be with her."
"You don't have the right to say that. And besides, she and I are already together."
He Meiwei lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "I know I have no right. But I left so suddenly back then because… I had no choice."
"What kind of reason?" he asked, a trace of irony in his smile. "Go on—enlighten me."
"I was diagnosed with a severe kidney disease. It progressed to uremia. I've already had a transplant, but my body is rejecting it. I may need to find another match."
Long Yubei stiffened, the expression on his face faltering. "You… what did you just say?"
"I said, I left you because I didn't want to drag you down with me. Beibei, I've thought of you ever since we parted. When I heard you got married, I nearly broke down. I wanted to find you but didn't have the courage. It's taken everything in me to come here today. Beibei… do you still love me?"
At that moment, his emotions were a tangled knot—bittersweet, confusing, impossible to articulate.
He didn't know how to respond.
The very air seemed to thin, heavy with the weight of memory and regret.
At last, he spoke. "I don't love you anymore."
Tears spilled from her eyes, and then came the sobs—raw, unrestrained. She covered her mouth with her hands and wept bitterly.
Upstairs, Gu Lili felt a strange discomfort settle in her chest. She pitied He Meiwei's misfortune, yet her actions stirred a deep unease.
She sat there, every second stretching endlessly, aching to hear what would follow.
"You…" Long Yubei handed her a tissue. "Don't cry."
She took it, dabbing at her tears and nose before tossing it in the bin. Then she slowly walked over and sat beside him. "Beibei… is it that you still resent me? That you can't forgive me?"
"No. I was hurt before, but not anymore."
If her illness had been the reason for their breakup, he could understand. But time, once gone, cannot be reclaimed.
"We shared so many beautiful memories. Now you're married to her, but it's just for the sake of your family, isn't it? Not because you love her. I think you're rushing into something that will decide your entire life. Beibei… you can't do this."
"My marriage to her was not made lightly," Long Yubei replied gently, trying not to upset her further, mindful of her condition. "Yes, we shared something once—something real and good. But that's in the past. I have a wife now. If you're in trouble, I'll do what I can to help. But that's all I can offer."