It had been over half a month since Li Qianfan last saw Su Ziyu.
Li Qianfan stood at the office door, looking at Su Yujie, who sat calmly and serenely behind her desk. He opened his mouth, but suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Likewise.
Upon seeing Li Qianfan, who had come to surprise her, Su Ziyu looked equally dazed. They simply gazed at each other in silence.
After an indeterminate amount of time.
Li Qianfan gently closed the door and walked slowly to the desk. He placed his feet on the corner of the desk and looked down at Su Ziyu, smiling, "Wife, I'm back."
Before going upstairs, Li Qianfan had racked his brain trying to figure out what to say to Su Ziyu first.
He had also thought of many ways to express himself.
But when he saw Su Ziyu, he used the most ordinary, most common phrase.
Wife, I'm back.
"Mmm."
Su Ziyu appeared very calm. She nodded, "I see you."
"Actually, I was only out for half a month."
Li Qianfan smiled, "Why does it feel like we haven't seen each other in three autumns?"
"Not three autumns."
"Then how long?"
"Thirty years."
"Such a mouth—"
"You've gotten much thinner since you left."
Su Ziyu raised her hand and gently stroked Li Qianfan's face. "But your skin has become much smoother and more delicate."
Before she finished speaking—
Her heart suddenly ached!
Yes.
In just half a month, Li Qianfan had been traveling and had to rack his brains every day. He should have looked haggard.
But not only was he not haggard, his skin had become as smooth and delicate as a woman's.
His eyes were even brighter.
His slightly longer hair was more supple and lustrous.
His originally boyish face now had a more defined, three-dimensional appearance.
He looked more like a man than he had half a month ago!
Why was this happening?
209—
It could only be 209!!
209 was silently and rapidly depleting Li Qianfan's youth and life!!!
Let's put it this way.
Before the original 209 was activated, if Li Qianfan could live to be 100 years old, then these 15 days would have been a normal half-month within 36,500 days. He would still have a youthful face, his rolling eyes would have been childish, and his voice would have been at the end of puberty.
But after 209 was activated?
Li Qianfan, who originally had a lifespan of 100 years and nearly 80 years left, would have those 80 years compressed into 12 months (at most 12 months).
One month for Li Qianfan would be equivalent to seven years of his original lifespan.
That is to say, in the past half-month, Li Qianfan had actually lived for nearly seven years!
His original actual age was 21. After seven years, he would now be 28!!
Seven years had passed in the blink of an eye, how could Li Qianfan still be so young and inexperienced?
How could he still be immature!?
"Qianfan, your current actual age is around 28, isn't it?"
Su Ziyu asked with difficulty, "Right, right?"
She had known this for a long time.
But she didn't believe it!!!
She thought that her grandmother, Yang Xiao, had said that after Qianfan's 209 was activated, it might increase his combat power, but it wouldn't necessarily make him age.
Because she harbored a sliver of hope, she had waited for 26 years in the vast crowd for this young man. Perhaps he would defy medical common sense. Even if 209 indeed had the "miraculous effect" of rapid aging, it might not apply to Li Qianfan.
But now, the ironclad fact was right before her.
Su Ziyu had no choice but to believe!
Li Qianfan's eyes flickered.
He wanted to pretend to be indifferent.
But in the end, he said, "Yes."
Sensing the heaviness in his own tone, he quickly smiled and joked, "I'm 28 now, and you're only 26. By this calculation, you'll have to call me brother from now on."
Su Ziyu looked into his eyes and softly called out, "Brother."
Li Qianfan's expression changed.
He turned, jumped off the desk, and quickly walked towards the restroom, "Brother needs to pee. We'll talk later."
He had actually noticed his own changes long ago.
But due to the innate fear of death that all living beings possessed, Li Qianfan had always avoided this issue.
And during the past "seven years," Du Yaoyao, Shen Chongchong, and Bai Ziyan had basically been with him day and night, thus overlooking his changes.
But Su Ziyu, who had "parted" with him for seven years, immediately and keenly noticed his transformation upon seeing him.
It's like seeing a friend's child after a long time and being surprised: "Holy crap, how long has it been? This kid has grown so tall!"
But the parents who were with the child every day, even if they knew his clothes no longer fit, wouldn't feel like he had grown.
Now.
The problem that Li Qianfan instinctively avoided was seen by Su Ziyu and unconsciously voiced.
Fear.
The fear of death, like a raging storm, roared from the depths of Li Qianfan's heart.
No one was unafraid of death.
Anyone who knew they had only eleven months left to live would bear an unimaginable mental pressure for a healthy person.
But Li Qianfan—
Not only did he have to face his approaching death, withstand immense mental pressure, but he also had to do what he had to do!
He frantically dodged Su Ziyu.
He was afraid she would see the fear of death deep in his eyes.
"Actually, there is no banquet in the world that does not end."
"Uncle Shen, even the gentle and pure Guanyin maiden abandoned him, didn't the feast end prematurely?"
"Eighteen more years, and I'll be a hero again!"
Li Qianfan washed his face with cold water and looked up at the "handsome man" in the mirror, forcing a disdainful smile.
But the smile looked like he was crying.
Creak.
The door opened.
Su Ziyu walked in.
She hugged Li Qianfan from behind, her red lips brushing his ear, "I regret it."
She regretted it!
Why had she agreed to Yang Xiao's suggestion to have Dai Paipai activate Li Qianfan's original 209.
She also said, "I'm even more afraid."
She was afraid!
Of seeing Li Qianfan age, and of being the one to place his ashes in the grave.
Su Ziyu continued, "Originally, I was just a small woman who wanted to live a simple, healthy life with my husband. I never wanted to be a great woman who sacrificed personal happiness for the greater good."
Li Qianfan looked at the girl in the mirror and pursed his lips.
"Qianfan, wouldn't it have been great if we had never met?"
Su Ziyu closed her eyes and said softly, "Or, when I opened my eyes, I would have found myself on the street. And you would have been loudly shouting, 'Who wants to buy me home with a betrothal gift of eighty-eight thousand yuan?'"
Li Qianfan smiled.
A house that collapses can be rebuilt.
But the path a person has walked can never be retraced.
"If I could go back to that day, I would immediately go into the bridal chamber with you."
Su Ziyu murmured as if in a dream, "I don't want a long, long period of adjustment. I want to be your wife and have your children. If you dare to disagree, I'll tie you up and let you know that a woman gone mad is scarier than a scoundrel. If I could have done that then, our baby would probably be learning to kick my belly by now, right?"
Warm.
Those were Su Ziyu's tears of regret, falling on the back of Li Qianfan's neck.
What she said were her true feelings.
But what good was that?
As Li Qianfan gently cupped her face with his hands and slowly opened her eyes, she was still in late autumn.
She had not—
Returned to Qingyun Street from a few months ago!!
"Silly girl, I'm fine, aren't I? Let's not talk about death or anything."
Li Qianfan's thumb wiped Su Ziyu's tears. "Come, little sister, give your brother a kiss. To reward this long-felt longing."
"Wait for me, I'm going to touch up my makeup."
Su Ziyu sniffled and turned to quickly walk out. "Wait for me in the restroom. It'll take at most five minutes. Don't come out, or I'll never speak to you again."
Click.
Click, click.
As Su Ziyu's hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door, Yang Xiao, who was engrossed in some research, furrowed her brow slightly but soon relaxed and put down the glass vessel in her hand.
The door was pushed open.
Every time Su Ziyu entered, she would knock.
But this time, she pushed the door open directly.
"Ziyu, why are you crying?"
Seeing Su Ziyu's tear-streaked face, a cold glint flashed in Yang Xiao's eyes.
Who dared to bully my eldest granddaughter-in-law!?
Before the words even left Yang Xiao's tongue, Su Ziyu quickly walked up to her, knelt down, and hugged her legs with both hands.
Her voice hoarse, she pleaded, "Grandmother, I don't want Qianfan to die of old age. I want him to live! As long as he can live, he can have as many women as he wants. He can have as many children as he wants me to have."
I just want Qianfan to live!
As long as he lives, I can do anything, I'm willing to do anything!!
Sigh—
Yang Xiao let out a low sigh, bent down, and helped her up from the ground. She wiped her tears and asked gently, "Qianfan is back, you noticed his maturity? You're scared? You regret it?"
"Yes!"
Su Ziyu nodded vigorously. "Qianfan is back! He's become the most mature man! I'm scared, and I regret it. I regret not stopping you from activating his 209, and I hate myself for supporting you back then."