Rong Jingyang wanted to go in, but he also knew he had lost his eligibility.
He had lost the closest qualification to stay by her side.
The man lowered his gaze and closed his eyes. It seemed all his pain was shrouded in his eyes.
He scoffed, propping his forehead and eye sockets with his hands.
He—
He clearly wanted to win back Du Ruoxin's heart, wanted to have another child with Du Ruoxin, wanted to...
But in his mind, there was the woman's heartless and cold expulsion.
Did she truly, truly no longer love him?
Did she have no feelings for him at all anymore?
Otherwise, why would Du Ruoxin's eyes look at him with such disgust and hatred?
Not a trace of affection left.
None at all.
Rong Jingyang's heart felt as if it were frozen by concrete, numb and devoid of sensation.
From childhood to adulthood, in his twenty-something years of life, whatever he wanted, be it academics, career, or anything else, he had always obtained.
But precisely—
Rong Jingyang had never known what it meant to be unable to do something, nor what it meant to be powerless.
At this moment, he understood.
It was a kind of helplessness.
He clearly wanted to do many things, clearly wanted to change his approach and start anew with Du Ruoxin, but he had lost the opportunity.
Wordless sorrow spread from Rong Jingyang like ten thousand miles of mist, permeating the entire corridor.
Rong Dou Dou quickly ran over with the packed lunches she had bought. "Daddy, I bought your favorite food. Eat quickly, eat quickly. You must be hungry."
Rong Jingyang looked up and saw his daughter's small, worried face. He reached out and hugged her. "Daddy isn't hungry."
Rong Dou Dou: "Huh?"
Lying, she was starving, how could Daddy not be hungry?
Rong Jingyang put the lunchbox aside and said softly, "I'm on an IV drip, I don't feel hungry. I'll eat later when the drip is finished and I'm hungry, okay?"
Rong Dou Dou pouted, seemingly thinking of a reason to persuade Daddy to eat.
Rong Jingyang fibbed, "The doctor said I lost blood and can only eat after the IV drip is finished."
Only then did Rong Dou Dou stop persuading him, but she tugged at Rong Jingyang's hand, pulling him upwards with all her might. "Daddy, the ground is cold. Get up quickly."
A bitter smile played on Rong Jingyang's lips. "Dou Dou..."
He didn't want to go anywhere; he just wanted to sit here and quietly accompany Du Ruoxin.
Even though he knew she no longer liked him and didn't care for his company, still—
Rong Jingyang hugged his daughter, his tired eyes filled with pain. "Mommy is inside. Do you want to go in?"
Hadn't his daughter been pestering him to find Mommy?
Rong Dou Dou nodded, then shook her head. "No." Her tone was firm. "Mommy has Uncle to keep her company. Daddy has no one to take care of him."
Rong Dou Dou tightened her small grip on Daddy's hand and leaned into his embrace. "Dou Dou wants to take care of Daddy."
Daddy is so pitiful.
Only she is here.
If she also left, Daddy would be like a lonely and pitiful homeless person on the street.
She didn't want Daddy to become a solitary figure.
Young Master: "..."
And so, Rong Jingyang held his daughter until the little girl, unable to resist sleepiness, gradually drifted off.
He handed his daughter to Lin Xuanyao, asking Lin Xuanyao to carry her to the room to sleep.
But Rong Dou Dou clutched Rong Jingyang's clothes and refused to let go. Rong Jingyang finally managed to pry her fingers open, and Rong Dou Dou woke up again.
"Daddy!"
She threw her arms around her father.
This repeated twice.
Rong Jingyang couldn't shake off his daughter; she woke up as soon as he moved away.
Alas—
How much did his daughter miss him, how worried was she about him?
Rong Jingyang sighed. That night, father and daughter slept against the wall.