Chapter 25: He Drowned in Memories

Sang Yuwan sat at the door, with light rain falling constantly, making her feel a bit cold. She rubbed her arms and wrapped a large, warm coat around herself.

She looked up, startled like a frightened rabbit. The man smiled gently, and it made her feel at ease.

“You’re cold, yet sitting outside,” Gunche said as he handed her a cup of hot water and sat down next to her on a stool.

Sang Yuwan tightened her coat and said, “Do you think if he had trusted Ah Mo a little more back then, none of this would have happened?”

“Yes, but life doesn’t have so many ifs. We can only look forward and take one step at a time. There are no regrets in this world, and there’s no time,” Gunche said, looking up at the dark sky as the rain continued to fall.

“Sigh…” Sang Yuwan sighed, realizing her eyes were wet. She missed her.

She tilted her head to watch the rain, seeing her image in his eyes, hiding a deep love in their silent companionship.

It had been almost three months since Lu Cichuan’s car accident. During this time, he had tried to cut his wrists, taken a lot of sleeping pills, and even almost drowned in the bathtub once, but each time he was saved by Lu Sheng.

He knelt before Lu Sheng, pleading in pain, “Sister, just let me die… Without her, I really can’t hold on…”

He was her own brother; she couldn’t do that. She tightly hugged the lifeless Lu Cichuan, choking on her tears as she comforted him, “Ah Ci… It will be okay. Everything will be fine.”

“It won’t be… it won’t…”

Since Lu Cichuan’s suicide attempts, Lu Sheng had sealed all the windows, hidden sharp objects and medications, and asked Aunt Chen to keep a close watch on him, as her work was too busy.

Most days, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. When he was drunk, he dreamed of his beloved.

Aunt Chen couldn’t remember when it started, but Lu Cichuan began to regularly do some things each day.

For example, he would get up to make breakfast—sandwiches and sugar-coated tomatoes with a bottle of yogurt, which was what Li Mo liked.

Every morning, he would water the flowers in the greenhouse. However, since the flowers had withered and he didn’t take care of them well, they were almost dead. He often talked to himself, frowning, softly asking, “Ah Mo, what should I do?”

He tirelessly made dishes that Li Mo loved to eat. Even though no one was there, he always looked at the spot where Li Mo used to sit, smiling as he asked, “Does it taste good?” “What do you want to eat tomorrow?” “Steamed fish? Okay, I’ll make it tomorrow.” “Do you want to eat a bit more?”

It seemed like he lived in his own world. Sometimes he would ask Aunt Chen, “Aunt Chen, when will Ah Mo come back?”

Aunt Chen’s most vivid memory was that one morning when he rushed down the stairs, panting as he asked, “Aunt Chen, what can’t a pregnant woman eat?”

“Huh?” Aunt Chen was confused.

“Oh, didn’t Ah Mo say she was pregnant yesterday? Did you forget?! Hurry and tell me, I’m afraid I might add something bad when making breakfast!” His eyes were filled with love and hope.

Aunt Chen understood; he was living in the past, in the years they had loved each other.

When Aunt Chen told Lu Sheng all this, she was shocked. She had been on a business trip for nearly half a month, and Aunt Chen had never mentioned his suicide attempts. She had thought nothing of it; who would have known he would be lost in memories, unable to distinguish reality…

Lu Sheng hurried back. As soon as she entered the house, she saw it filled with flowers and balloons, along with a table full of delicious dishes, all of which Li Mo loved.

She was about to rush into the room when Lu Cichuan came out of the kitchen, holding a plate of freshly cooked sweet and sour ribs. He was surprised to see his sister. “Sister, why are you here?!”

“I…” Lu Sheng hadn’t finished her sentence when Lu Cichuan interrupted, “Sister, sit down. Ah Mo will be back soon, and we’ll eat.”

“Ah Ci…” Lu Sheng quickly grabbed Lu Cichuan, asking, “Why did you decorate the house like this?”

“Sister, today is the one-year anniversary of my marriage with Ah Mo,” Lu Cichuan said, pressing her down into a chair. “I’ll get the dishes and change clothes. Sister, hurry and call Ah Mo back.”

“Okay…” Lu Sheng nodded blankly.

Lu Cichuan changed his clothes, holding roses and hiding a carefully chosen necklace in his pocket. He waited a long time, from noon until evening, during which he would ask every half hour, “Sister, why isn’t Ah Mo back yet?”

Lu Sheng didn’t know how to answer and kept saying, “Soon, very soon…”

The smile on his face slowly faded, disappointment written all over it. He made a phone call:

“Sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable…”

“Ah Ci…” Lu Sheng felt a pang in her heart.

He looked up and forced a smile, “It’s fine. She probably just forgot…”

“Sister, you eat first. I’ve been busy all morning and forgot to water the flowers. I’ll go do that now…”

Watching his lost and forlorn figure, she felt a lump in her throat.

Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass startled her. “Ah Ci!” In a panic, she ran towards the greenhouse.

He stood there in a daze, fists clenched, looking incredulously at the pot of wilted red roses—her favorite.

“What’s wrong?!” Lu Sheng looked at him and then at the wilted roses. “Ah Ci, what’s wrong?”

“They’re dead… all dead…”

“She didn’t come back…”

“I clearly tried so hard to take care of them. Why did they still die…”

“It’s my fault she died…”

“Why am I still alive…?”

He knelt in front of the pot of wilted red roses, crying so hard he could hardly breathe.

The roses had long since wilted, leaving him drowning alone in the sea of memories…

Chapter 26: I Brought Her Home

The roses have wilted, and he has begun to live a life of drinking and dreaming. Occasionally, he would say strange things like, “Li Mo, why did you come back?” and “Li Mo, will you keep me company tonight?”

The doctor said he missed someone too much, and she had become his fantasy. Sometimes he suffered in reality, while at other times he was happy in his illusions. His mental state was becoming a problem.

Lu Cichuan’s health was getting worse. Although he was only 26, he looked like a man in his forties.

Lu Sheng knew that if things continued this way, he wouldn’t live much longer. So, she went to Qi’an City to find Sang Yuwan.

“Lu Sheng!” Sang Yuwan ran over and hugged her tightly. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. I happened to be on a business trip nearby,” Lu Sheng said, smoothing her messy hair with a gentle smile.

“Come on! I’ll take you to try Gunche’s cooking!” Sang Yuwan said, her eyes bright as she pulled Lu Sheng towards a small house.

“Gunche! Add two more dishes! Lu Sheng is here!”

“Okay!”

Sang Yuwan had a happy smile on her face as she sat Lu Sheng down on a stone bench in the yard. After making a pot of tea, she finally sat down herself.

“Is this your boyfriend? Have you two moved in together already?” Lu Sheng asked, somewhat incredulous.

Sang Yuwan quickly shook her head. “No, no, no! Lu Sheng! We haven’t moved in together! His family lives next door, really!”

“Haha…” Lu Sheng laughed at her flustered expression. “So, are you two together?”

“Um…” Sang Yuwan looked like caught by her parents while dating.

“Haha… All right, I wish you both happiness!” Lu Sheng took a small sip of tea, the sweet taste filling her mouth and making her feel at ease.

“Lu Sheng… you didn’t come here just to see me, did you?” Sang Yuwan guessed, and Lu Sheng paused, moving her lips. “Yuwan, you’re so smart. I actually came to bring Li Mo back.”

Sang Yuwan’s eyes lowered. “Lu Sheng, even if you came, I won’t let Li Mo go back.”

“Yuwan, I’m begging you as an older sister. I know Cichuan did wrong, but he’s already being punished. The mental torment and physical discomfort he’s experiencing are unbearable… he…”

“Lu Sheng!” Sang Yuwan raised her head to meet her gaze. “Li Mo has suffered a thousand times more than him…”

“What he’s going through is well-deserved… even if he dies.”

“Li Mo… will never come back.”

Yes, whether he lives or dies is no longer important; she will never come back.

“Yuwan…”

“Lu Sheng! I need to go help in the kitchen!” Sang Yuwan hurriedly got up and walked into the kitchen to escape the topic.

Lu Sheng watched her back, her expression dimming. She bit her lip.

She had long expected this outcome but still shamelessly asked. She only had one family member left, and she just wanted to fulfill his wish.

Sang Yuwan looked at Gunche, who was washing vegetables, and felt a wave of emotions, walking up to him and hugging him from behind, feeling a sense of relief in that moment.

Gunche was initially surprised, turned off the water, grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands, then turned around and gently hugged her, resting his chin on her forehead.

“What’s wrong? Hmm?”

Sang Yuwan buried her face in his embrace, her voice slightly choked with tears. “Lu Sheng wants to take Li Mo away…”

“But why? Why should they just take her? How much suffering has Cichuan been through? He still has Lu Sheng, but Li Mo has lost everything. She was completely taken from us…”

Gunche held her tighter, patting her back. Once she stopped crying, he looked down at her red eyes. “Yuwan, they deserve it. We can never forgive them. I didn’t want to get involved, but… do you remember what Li Mo told you before?”

Sang Yuwan recalled Li Mo’s words, feeling angry at her for being so weak.

After enjoying a delicious meal, it was getting late, and Lu Sheng stood up to leave.

“Lu Sheng! Wait!” Sang Yuwan rushed out of the house, panting, holding Li Mo’s ashes.

“Lu Sheng… you can take her back, but only for seven days. After seven days, I’ll go back to Huaian City to bring her back…”

This was Li Mo’s wish, and seven days was the time she allowed.

“Okay…” Lu Sheng took the urn, her eyes filled with grateful tears. “Thank you… Yuwan…”

“Thank… Li Mo for being so foolish!”

When Lu Sheng returned home, she unexpectedly saw Lu Cichuan rolling down the steps, spilling wine everywhere and breaking the bottle.

After putting the urn on the table, she rushed over to help him up. “Cichuan! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?”

Lu Cichuan’s head hurt, and the world around him seemed a bit shaky. “Sis… I’m… fine. Where’s my wine?”

He shook himself up and looked for the fallen bottle.

Lu Sheng grabbed his arm angrily. “Cichuan, stop drinking! Li Mo is back. She’ll be angry if she sees you like this!”

“Don’t fool me!” Lu Cichuan shook her off, speaking to her with frustration for the first time. “She’s never coming back… She’ll never forgive me…”

He slowly sat down on the steps, crying softly.

Lu Sheng silently placed Li Mo’s urn in front of him and gently said, “I brought her home.”

The girl in the picture smiled brightly, without a worry, and she was his sun.

“Li Mo…” He picked her up with trembling hands, as if she were a treasure, joy and guilt evident in his voice.

“You’re back? You forgive me?”

“I’m sorry. I should have come to greet you at the door. Please don’t be mad, okay?”

“Am I smelling of alcohol?”

“Don’t worry! Li Mo, I usually don’t drink!”

“I’m sorry. I really miss you. You only talk to me in dreams…”

“And I didn’t take good care of your red roses. Please don’t hold it against me.”

“Do you want to eat braised pork? You haven’t had my cooking in a long time. Li Mo, my cooking is better now. I’ll make you a feast of your favorites…”

Lu Cichuan rubbed his thumb against the picture of the woman.

“Okay, okay, I smell strong. I’ll go clean up now!”

He held his lost love carefully as he climbed the stairs, chattering endlessly…

Lu Sheng covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sadness. They had once been so good, so passionate and sincere, but now they were separated by misunderstanding and death…

“Li Mo, these are all your favorites!” Lu Cichuan served dish after dish of delicious food, and after cleaning up, he returned to his handsome, slightly aggressive self.

He piled food like a “mountain” in front of Li Mo. “Li Mo, take your time eating. It’s all for you. If it’s good, I’ll make it again next time!”

Aunt Chen turned around to wipe her tears, while Lu Sheng buried her head in sweet rice, but the rice only tasted saltier with every bite…

Lu Sheng gathered her emotions, carefully spoke up, “Cichuan, Li Mo can only stay for seven days…”

She didn’t dare look into his eyes, fearing her carefully gathered emotions would collapse again…

Lu Cichuan’s smile froze, his hand holding the food for Li Mo hanging in mid-air. After a moment, he put the food into the bowl, forcing a smile back on.

“It’s okay… Seven days is still a long time…” Lu Cichuan took a deep breath, holding back tears in his eyes, forcing a smile. “Come on, Li Mo, this is delicious. Eat more…”

Lu Sheng remained silent, quietly watching him.

That night, he wore the couple pajamas they had shared before, gently caressing her face, a tear slipping down the corner of his eye…

“Li Mo… I thought you forgave me…”

“Seven days is too short… But if you can stay with me for seven days, I should be satisfied…”

“I’m sorry. I broke my promise.”

“Don’t worry, I will definitely come to find you…”

During those seven days, he took her to visit her family, to see the little tree they had planted together, to the place where they first met, to plant flowers, to cook, to watch the sunrise and sunset, and to admire the stars and moon at night…

They were happy every day, but seven days were too short. He wanted a lifetime, but he had already lost that right…

On the last morning, he took her to watch the sunrise as usual…

“Li Mo… you’re leaving, don’t worry. I will come to find you…”

Finally, he kissed his wife…

When he returned home, he saw Sang Yuwan sitting on the sofa. She stood up, her eyes cold as she looked at him, saying the words he feared the most: “Mr. Lu, I’m here to take Li Mo back.”

Lu Cichuan’s heart tightened, tears welling in his eyes. When he returned Li Mo to Sang Yuwan, his hands trembled, and as he watched her leave, his vision began to be blurry.