She sat in the car, lost in her pain for over ten minutes.
Zhan Bei Jue, watching her from across the street, hadn't noticed her distress for the same amount of time.
He had been waiting for her downstairs for several hours.
Seeing her return, he initially thought she was just getting something from the car and lingering for a moment.
But she hadn't come down even after so long.
The car's engine was still running, its headlights casting a beam on the wall, revealing her expression inside.
Though her face was blank, her eyes were vacant.
It was as if she had suffered a tremendous shock, her soul completely drained, leaving her utterly dejected.
Zhan Bei Jue finally couldn't help but walk towards her.
"Nan Fang."
The car door wasn't locked; it opened with a gentle pull.
As Zhan Bei Jue called out, Jiang Nan Fang finally snapped back to reality.
She instinctively looked up at him. However, after stopping the car, she hadn't put it in park or engaged the electronic handbrake. The moment she released her foot, the car instantly lurched forward.
Zhan Bei Jue hadn't expected her to forget to put it in park.
Seeing the car rolling forward, without a word, he yanked Jiang Nan Fang out and then quickly climbed into the car himself.
He applied the brake, shifted into park, and turned off the engine.
This entire sequence, lasting only a few dozen seconds, sent a cold sweat down Jiang Nan Fang's back.
Zhan Bei Jue got out of the car, unable to refrain from scolding her.
"What were you thinking about so intently? You don't even care about your own life?"
"If you stop the car without turning off the engine or putting it in park, what would happen if something befell you alone today and I wasn't here?"
In truth, Jiang Nan Fang had been thinking about him all day.
It wasn't just because they had spent a day together having fun the day before, making her long to see him today.
It was more about her concern for his situation.
But at this very moment, with him safe and sound, having the energy to scold her, she felt her own worries were selfish.
Coming back to her senses, Jiang Nan Fang felt that she was being overly sentimental and that it was all rather pointless.
She was just a fickle, bad woman, oscillating between him and Ke Teng.
Ke Teng needed her more than Zhan Bei Jue did. Ke Teng loved her more than Zhan Bei Jue. If she could have children for Zhan Bei Jue, why not for Ke Teng?
As this thought crossed her mind, her expression turned cold.
Jiang Nan Fang locked the car, without saying a word to Zhan Bei Jue, and turned to head upstairs.
Zhan Bei Jue quickly grabbed her arm.
"I'm talking to you, why are you so unresponsive? What's wrong? Why do you look so unwell? Has something happened?"
"You wish something would happen to me, don't you?"
Jiang Nan Fang looked down at the hand gripping hers.
"Let go. Does my life or death concern you? Why are you yelling at me downstairs at my home?"
He knew he hadn't been gentle enough just now and had yelled at her, frightening her.
Zhan Bei Jue knew he was in the wrong.
"I'm sorry. I thought you'd be back after work, so I waited for you downstairs for several hours. I missed you terribly and was very worried."
"Seeing you almost get into an accident just now made me a bit anxious. Please don't be angry, I didn't mean to shout at you."
If he had been cold and sarcastic, arguing and contradicting her as he used to,
Perhaps Jiang Nan Fang would have been able to dismiss it without consequence.
But his attitude had changed so drastically.
Speaking to her in such a humble and sincere tone, Jiang Nan Fang truly didn't know how to respond to him.
"Don't you have work matters to attend to? Why are you here looking for me?"
"No matter how big the issue, you are more important. I didn't see you at all yesterday, and today is no different. I've missed you so much I'm almost going crazy."
As he spoke, Zhan Bei Jue took a step closer to her.
"Let's not argue anymore, can I have a hug?"
Why had he changed so much recently?
The tall, handsome, gentle, and sincere Zhan Bei Jue.
In the past, if he had treated her like this, let alone a hug, even if he had asked for her life, Jiang Nan Fang would likely have given it willingly.
But why now, of all times?
Though she also longed for his embrace and wished to hold him,
She knew better than to make another mistake.
Taking a step back, Jiang Nan Fang tried to pull her hand away.
"I'm not arguing with you, nor do I want a hug. We have no relationship anymore. I made myself clear before, Zhan Bei Jue, you shouldn't come looking for me."
Why? Why was she treating him like this again?
Didn't she show every sign of having strong feelings for him when they went out together the day before yesterday?
Zhan Bei Jue refused to let go.
"You just came back from the hospital, didn't you? Seeing Ke Teng again made you feel guilty, and now you're pushing me away because of him?"
"Nan Fang, I know I was wrong. If it weren't for me, my mother, and Ke Teng wouldn't be in this situation."
"But I swear to you, once I've dealt with this company matter, I'll take Ke Teng for treatment."
"I'll quit my job, and you quit yours too. Even if we have to search every country in the world for doctors, we'll find a cure for him, okay?"
"I don't want you to owe him, Nan Fang, and even less do I want you to marry him with a sense of guilt!"
"You love me, you are mine. I beg you, tell me the truth, you love me, and we should be together, right?"
Jiang Nan Fang felt her mind becoming even more muddled, her tinnitus worsening.
She even started to hallucinate.
What was Zhan Bei Jue saying? What had Zhan Bei Jue just said?
He loved her?
He was willing to abandon his job to treat Ke Teng and stay with her forever?
"Zhan Bei Jue, I'm not in the mood for jokes. Please don't come looking for me just because you're bored, okay?"
"Jokes? You think I'm joking with you?"
Zhan Bei Jue was truly terrible at sweet-talking and expressing his emotions.
Hearing Jiang Nan Fang say that, he wished he could dig out his heart and show it to her.
"I know there were many things I did that you were unhappy with before, and they caused misunderstandings, but I swear to you, Jiang Nan Fang, I have always loved you!"
"From the day I first saw you when I was seven years old, I haven't loved any other woman besides you."
"I haven't spoken more than a word to any other woman, never felt moved by another woman, nor have I touched anyone else. My heart has always been only for you!"
Jiang Nan Fang couldn't believe it, shaking her head frantically.
"I must be hallucinating. How is this possible? How could you possibly love me?"
"You yourself said before that you clearly hated me."
"That was when I thought you had actually sold our child. I'm sorry, I can only explain everything that happened before with ten thousand apologies."
"It was my arrogance, my conceit, my pride that prevented me from lowering myself to understand you, to investigate the truth."
"But I know I was wrong now, and I am absolutely certain that I will only love you in this life, I cannot live without you."
"So I beg you, don't push me away, give me a chance to make amends, okay?"
Jiang Nan Fang felt her heart begin to beat again.
Zhan Bei Jue's words were so passionate.
And his gaze, the warmth in his palms, was so intense it made her dizzy.
"How is it possible? How could it be? You've always liked me?"
Zhan Bei Jue looked at her with burning eyes.
"Why not? You've always been exceptional, you just didn't realize it yourself."