Chapter 499: In the end, it’s heartache.
She wanted to tell him that even though they were divorced, her love for him hadn’t changed.
She was just scared to be with him.
However, each time the words were on the tip of her tongue, she couldn’t bring herself to say them. It felt like something was stuck in her throat and there was a pile of rocks pressing on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.
Despite knowing he could never agree to her requests, could never fulfil her wishes, she still hoped he might.
“It’s fine, I can rest in the car just the same,”
Mo Xiuchen’s tone was gentle but carried a hint of melancholy. Gu Kai had said last night that he shouldn’t have forced Ranran like that and now he was doing the same thing, albeit in a gentler way.
He said calmly that he wanted to stay with her, with a gentle but firm resolve. He wanted to be closer to her, even closer, even if he was upstairs and she was downstairs. Just by looking up, he could see her window and know that she was sleeping in that room.
The panic in his heart would lessen a bit.
Without waiting for Wen Ran to refuse, he added, “Ranran, go back to your room and sleep. Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right here downstairs, watching over you. Good night!”
A sudden warmth flooded Wen Ran’s eyes, and before she could say anything, the call ended.
She gazed in sorrow at the car downstairs. The dark interior lit up and in the lowering window revealed the handsome face she knew and deeply loved. Sitting in the car, Mo Xiuchen seemed to feel her gaze, as he raised his eyes, looking at her through the darkness.
Her heart clenched and tears welled up in her eyes.
She pressed her lips together tightly, her hand gripping her phone. She was filled with confusion and heartache, a voice inside her silently reproaching her: Wen Ran, how could you be so cruel? Are you really going to make the man you love sit outside all night?
Do you really want to torment him – and yourself – like this?
Downstairs, Mo Xiuchen’s tall figure leaned back in the driver’s seat, his eyes softly gazing at the second story window. He knew that Ranran was standing behind the curtain. There was no light in the room and he couldn’t see her, but he firmly believed that she must be watching him too.
Before hanging up the phone, he told her ‘Don’t be afraid’. He didn’t know if she understood what he meant.
He hoped that with his presence, she could sleep peacefully without nightmares. His demand wasn’t high; apart from divorce, he would comply with everything she wanted.
Throughout his thirty years of life, he had never loved anyone else. She was the only woman he loved. He was willing to give his all to spend a lifetime with her, regardless of whether the journey was long or short. He didn’t care.
Just having her by his side would be enough.
While he was lost in thought, another person suddenly appeared in front of the car window. “Mo Xiuchen, Ranran wants me to open the door for you. Sleeping in the car could give you a cold. Why don’t you come inside with me?”
It was Wen Jin!
After calling him, Wen Ran had finally managed to soften her heart.
Mo Xiuchen’s eyes flickered. He looked up to the second floor where the window was as dark as before. But things felt different. Only a few minutes ago, the woman he loved had been standing there. Now, it was empty.
“Alright!”
He replied softly, warmth spreading in his heart. He knew it. Wen Ran loved him. With that thought in mind, he found it harder to let go.
He got out of the car and followed Wen Jin into the house and up the stairs.
“Ranran has Xiaoxiao for company. You can choose any of the other rooms on the second floor,” Wen Jin informed Mo Xiuchen calmly as she stood on the stairs.
“I’ll take the room next to Ranran’s,” Mo Xiuchen answered instantly. The closer he was to her, the better.
“I’m going to sleep. Don’t disturb her,” Wen Jin said in agreement before going back to her room.
**
After calling Wen Jin, Wen Ran went back to her room. She lay awake, unable to sleep.
Bai Xiaoxiao, lying next to her, didn’t say anything. Alone in the room with her eyes wide open, Wen Ran listened to the movements outside.
Soon, footsteps echoed from the corridor. Her heart skipped a beat. She listened to the familiar footsteps stop in front of the room where she had made the call, followed by the sound of a door gently opening.
Knowing he was now in a room, she finally closed her eyes.
Although they were in separate rooms, knowing he was in the room next door comforted her. When she fell asleep this time, she slept until dawn without any dreams interrupting her.
When Wen Ran woke up, sunlight was already streaming in through the window. The golden light cast on the little bunny clock on her bedside table and Bai Xiaoxiao seemed to have gotten up and gone downstairs some time ago.
A fresh bouquet of flowers, with dew still clinging to the petals, was in the vase by the window. She recognized them as flowers from the Gu Family’s garden.
Beyond the floral scent in the air, there was a more subtle aroma, slightly intoxicating. It was faint and overpowered by the scent of the flowers, but it was clear that someone had spent a while in her room for the scent to still be here.
Her morning tranquillity was broken by the sight of the flowers and the invasive scent. She sat up bed, pressing her lips together, only now noticing a note on the table.
“Ranran, I’ve gone to the office. Remember to eat breakfast when you wake up. Love, Xiuchen!”
The note was short but it was full of his love for her. The writing was strong and elegant, just like him.
She could almost imagine the expression on his face when he wrote the note.
Just as Wen Ran had guessed, Mo Xiuchen had driven to the Gu Family’s house early in the morning, picked these flowers from their garden and placed them in the vase in her room.
Bai Xiaoxiao had also known about him staying next door, so she got up early. After Auntie Li had taken Bai Xiaoxiao downstairs, Mo Xiuchen sat in front of Wen Ran’s bed, watching her quietly for half an hour.
Gazing at her sleeping face, his heart softened like still water. He reached out to touch her but stopped halfway, pulling back in fear of waking her and being driven away.
As he wrote the note, his eyes never left her. He put the note on the table, took a deep look at her, then reluctantly left the room.
Wen Ran held the note in a daze.
Mo Xiuchen’s persistence left her feeling powerless. She didn’t know what to do such that it wouldn’t hurt him and persuade him to agree to the divorce, forget her and seek another happiness.
After a long time, she finally got up and walked to the window, bending down to smell the flowers. Almost involuntarily, she was reminded of her birthday night when she had taken Bai Xiaoxiao to the back garden and seen him arguing with Shen Yuting. Initially, she thought there might be something between them. But then he pushed Shen Yuting away, bent down and picked up the flower he had plucked…
Only she knew how tumultuous her emotions were at that moment!