Ding!

His phone suddenly chimed with a notification. When he looked, it was a LINE message from Yuanyuan!

She actually took the initiative to message him? Lu Zongyue was pleasantly surprised. Ever since they exchanged phone numbers, it had always been him who called or texted her first. She would only respond passively, sometimes even reading without replying.

“Are you coming today?”

Those few words on the screen felt like music to Lu Zongyue’s ears.

She was asking if he was going to Hualien. Was she thinking of him? After not seeing him for several days, did she miss him, even just a little? Now that Dongdong had been taken home by his mom, leaving her alone, she must feel lonely. He hated that he couldn’t be there with her every day.

He began typing on his BlackBerry’s keyboard:

“I can’t come today…”

Too cold! Not good.

He deleted it and typed again:

“Do you miss me?”

Too flirty! She might get angry.

“I really miss you.”

Too cheesy!

“I’m about to go into a meeting, and tonight I have to entertain clients…”

Lu Zongyue glared at the words on the screen in frustration. Why did it sound so cold and emotionless? Even though he wanted to explain why he couldn’t come, this message didn’t express his current feelings of joy and regret at all.

He really wanted to go see her!

“Sorry.”

After much internal struggle, he finally sent the message.

She quickly replied—

“It’s fine, I was just asking. A friend is coming to see me today.”

He stared at the screen intently. A friend? Who? That lawyer Zhao Mincheng?

If it really was Zhao Mincheng going to see her, why would she bother to inform him in advance? Was she afraid he might show up unexpectedly and become a third wheel?

Lu Zongyue’s previously bright expression turned gloomy as he brooded over the message.

Ding Moli knocked and entered, raising her eyebrows in surprise at his dejected look.

“Zongyue, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He pulled himself together and calmly closed his laptop. “Is it time for the meeting?”

“Yes.”

“I know. I’ll be there right away.”

“There are still a few minutes. No need to rush.” Ding Moli approached him, her eyes scanning his face with concern. She noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes. “You don’t look too well. Have you been overworking yourself?”

“Just didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Or maybe you haven’t been sleeping at all? What have you been so busy with lately?”

He didn’t answer, only glancing up at her.

She began to pout, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. “We haven’t had a date in ages. Have you been so busy that you forgot you have a girlfriend?!”

She whined playfully while secretly contemplating. Ever since he got out of the hospital, his attitude toward her had cooled significantly. He frequently claimed he was meeting with a Vietnamese friend to discuss important matters. He barely came to the office, and when he was in Taipei, he spent all his time in meetings or working late into the night. Even getting him to join her for a meal was difficult, let alone going on a date.

“Do you not love me anymore?” She deliberately dragged out the words, making her voice sultry and sticky.

“What are you talking about?” He patted her hand, as if to reassure her. “Ever since I woke up from the coma, I realized there were so many things I hadn’t planned for. I can’t keep drifting aimlessly like before. I need to focus on my career while I’m still young and energetic.”

“As if you’re not already enough of a workaholic! And now you want to focus even more?” She stomped her foot in protest, just as she was about to turn her face to kiss him. Suddenly, he stood up, unintentionally dodging her.

“Be good. Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll find time to be with you,” he said with a slight smile, picking up his laptop, signaling that the conversation was over and he was heading to the meeting.

Ding Moli watched his tall, straight figure walk away, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Just as Lu Zongyue opened his office door, a deep rumble of thunder sounded outside. He turned his head in surprise and looked out the window, realizing that the entire city was shrouded in dark clouds, with a storm brewing.

A sudden flash of memory surfaced in his mind, and he became momentarily lost.

A bright bolt of lightning slashed across the sky, followed by thunder that seemed like the wrath of a god, threatening to tear the heavens apart. A violent thunderstorm was about to begin.

As heavy raindrops pelted the glass window, Zhong Xintian felt a tightness in her chest, as if something was blocking her breath, making it hard for her to breathe.

She looked down at the phone screen, where three plain words stared back at her—

“Sorry.”

Her eyes suddenly stung with emotion.

What exactly had she been hoping for? He had his own life. Just because he had been overly enthusiastic and visited her frequently recently, did she really think they had become true friends?

Even if they were friends, they shouldn’t overstep boundaries. He lived in Taipei, and she lived in Hualien; they weren’t supposed to see each other every day.

But… perhaps he had been too kind to her recently, making her think that her long-dead heart had unknowingly begun to revive, and she had started to learn how to hope again.

Hope for his visits, hope to see him when she missed him.

Hope that during a fierce storm like this, someone would be there to accompany her.

She was afraid of thunder, afraid of that earth-shattering sound that seemed like it could tear the world apart.

She wondered if he still remembered that, during the third year of their marriage, when their relationship was at its coldest, there had been a storm like this one.

That day, her father-in-law had been hospitalized for a long time, and she was home alone. Suddenly, the power went out at night, plunging the house into darkness. Terrified, she listened to the thunder crashing outside and watched the lightning repeatedly illuminate the dark, endless sky. She was so scared that she felt completely lost.

She curled up on the living room sofa, hugging her knees like a snail retreating into its shell, too afraid to look outside. Then, he came home.

Soaked to the bone, bringing a chill of rain into the house, he saw her sitting dumbly on the sofa, not even knowing how to light a candle, and scolded her harshly.

But she was happy.