When Melody was wronged on the road, all she could think about was Lu Qingxu’s goodness and regretted leaving him on impulse.
She thought that if they ever met again, Lu Qingxu would rush forward to embrace her with utmost tenderness, offering her the most heartfelt comfort.
Instead, he was insulting her in front of Zhan Beijue!
Enraged, she slapped his hand away, her tone icy.
“Don’t get handsy with me.”
“I just can’t stand to see you, I want to block you, I want to break up with you. So what?”
“I’m not married to you, I can go wherever I want. Don’t I even have this freedom?”
“……”
After such a major incident, he thought she would be terrified. Seeing him, she should at least show some remorse, if not cling to him and weep uncontrollably.
But she was calm and composed, even managing to have someone take her to the bank for help.
As expected of Zhan Beijue’s sister, her psychological fortitude was extraordinary.
Lu Qingxu was indeed pathetic in this regard.
He liked her when she was strong.
He felt heartache when she was weak.
Even when she was abducted, dirty but walking unhurriedly through the crowd, he felt both love and hate.
“Fine, you’re amazing, you have your freedom, you can go anywhere you want. But you want to break up with me? No way!”
“Your brother is here. Ask him, even though we’re not married, whose person are you?”
Melody unconsciously turned her gaze towards Zhan Beijue.
The bodyguards had split into two groups, escorting the mother and son who had held her captive into the car. Now, only the three of them remained in the lobby.
Hearing Lu Qingxu’s words, Zhan Beijue cooperated fully.
“You really shouldn’t have run off alone. Don’t you know your own situation? Go back with him.”
Melody was furious and turned her anger towards Zhan Beijue.
“How many days have we known each other? Why are you interfering with me? And you’re marrying me off to him? You’re ignorant of the law. Who gave you that much authority?”
“I just won’t go back with him, I’ll run around wildly. Let’s see what you can do to me.”
Saying that, she stood up in a huff, intending to leave.
Lu Qingxu embraced her around the waist, lifted her, and slung her over his shoulder.
“This time you were lucky to meet another foolish mother and son who brought you to the county town, and we happened to see you on the street.”
“If it had been someone else, someone ruthless, do you think you could have truly escaped?”
“By the time we overcome all obstacles and find your whereabouts, you might already be… Don’t be so willful, come back with me!”
Lu Qingxu carried her into the car and drove to the best hotel in the county town.
He directly dumped her into the bathroom, ran hot water for two seconds, and poured it over her.
As he poured, he asked her,
“Where were you held captive? Why do you smell so bad?”
“I was locked in a pigsty. My body is full of germs, so you’d better stay away from me.”
“Even in a doghouse, once you’re clean, you’re still my person. Don’t try to provoke me with such methods, I won’t fall for it.”
“Heh, you say that, but don’t you dare find me smelly then!”
“I should still find you smelly, after all, coming out of a place like that leaves some bad luck. Let me wash it off for you first.”
He squeezed a large amount of body wash and lathered her all over.
Soon, the refreshed and clean Melody was back.
Looking at her face, spotless under the lights, her clean and outstanding features, Lu Qingxu couldn’t help himself and pulled the wet person into his embrace.
“You know, I was terrified. Truly terrified. I searched for you all the way from Hangcheng, not eating, not drinking, not sleeping, worried about you every single moment.”
“If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t want to live either.”
“I love you, Melody, you know that. I love you so much that I’m willing to give my life for you. I never intended to make you angry, remember that.”
“I apologize for my carelessness that day. Please, don’t play these disappearing games with me anymore. Really, I can’t take it.”
Melody’s whole body softened.
Only then did she belatedly feel fear.
As Lu Qingxu had said, she had been lucky this time, encountering the not-so-vicious mother and son duo of Zhuzi.
If it had been someone else, someone vicious and desperate, she might have already met her end.
She wasn’t afraid of death, but she truly feared dying without a clear cause.
Fortunately, no matter what, Lu Qingxu loved her.
Her nose pricked, and tears streamed down her face.
She also hugged Lu Qingxu tightly.
“Alright. I accept your apology. But you promise me, you’re not allowed to scold me in front of others anymore.”
“I promise. I’ll never dare again. From now on, only you will scold me. If I dare to resist, you’ll knock my teeth out!”
Melody chuckled at his words.
Not only Lu Qingxu, but Zhan Beijue had also been sleepless since learning of her disappearance.
Now that she was found, and spirits were high, everyone decided to rest a bit before returning.
The hotel didn’t offer lunch, so the three of them went out to eat.
After a long search, they found a decent-looking restaurant. Once seated and having ordered, Zhan Beijue asked Melody about her plans.
Melody answered frankly.
“My original plan was to break up with him and return to France. Now that plan has been disrupted. It wouldn’t be bad to see Hangzhou before returning to France, would you still be willing to accompany me?”
On the way here, Lu Qingxu had told Zhan Beijue about his search for a Chinese medicine practitioner.
Zhan Beijue supported his idea.
It was a way out, at least. Trying was better than not trying. Regardless, Melody could not give up on treatment.
After Melody’s lighthearted remark, he looked at her seriously.
“It’s not an incurable disease, but you can’t delay any longer. Don’t be so willful, okay?”
“Your mother, at her age, hasn’t given up. How old are you? Besides, there’s someone who loves you this much.”
“Even if not for yourself, you should think of him. If you were gone, leaving him alone in the world, do you think he would be alright?”
Melody was a person with extremely high standards for herself, a perfectionist.
She simply could not accept the prospect of having her chest removed, her hair falling out, and undergoing chemotherapy daily with a gaunt appearance, possibly without any success in the end.
Dying with a profoundly sorrowful countenance.
Therefore, on this matter, almost no one could persuade her.
“Then let’s break up. I won’t hold him back. There are plenty of beautiful women in the world, he can find someone else anytime. He won’t die just because he’s lost me.”
With those words, Lu Qingxu’s eyes instantly welled up with tears, infuriated.
“Although we haven’t known each other for long, do you truly have any idea how much I care about you?”
“If I were interested in anyone else, would I be hanging around you like a sycophant all day long?”
“I’ve practically dug out my heart to give to you. Every day I rack my brain, thinking of ways to make you happy, and yet you constantly say you don’t want me anymore.”
“What do you want me to do, Melody? Does it feel so good to trample on my sincerity?”
“Or perhaps, you never liked me at all, so you can mistreat me however you please without feeling any pain?”
This was the first time Lu Qingxu had spoken to her like this.
Speaking so sadly, as if Melody were a terrible person.