CHAPTER 120: 118: AS LONG AS YOU’RE WILLING, I AM YOUR HOME_2

She set the meal down in front of Ning Honghua. "I heard Xiaowan was discharged from the hospital today..."

"Don’t mention that wretched creature to me! COUGH, COUGH..." Ning Honghua angrily interrupted Yun Shu, as if the person she mentioned was as detestable as could be.

"Honghua..."

Yun Shu sighed. "How far are you going to take this, you and your daughter? She’s still young and might not know better, but you’re a grown man! How can you be as thoughtless as a child?"

She had barely finished speaking.

BANG—

The door to the hospital room was pushed open, hitting the wall heavily and making the whole room shake.

Yun Shu and Ning Honghua were both startled. They looked over and saw the person standing outside. Yun Shu’s eyes lit up with joy. "Xiaowan, you’re here! Come in..."

Ning Honghua’s expression darkened.

Ning Guiwan looked at him. He was the family member who used to cherish her, her only kin in the world. For four years, he had shown no concern for her. Now, four years later, he despised her so.

She really wanted to ask why. Why didn’t he believe any of her explanations? Why couldn’t he see all her grievances and sadness?

A sourness rose in her heart, clogged her nose, and choked her throat until, in the end, she could say nothing.

What was there left to say?

Even at this moment, she didn’t know why she had come here.

The anger and sadness that had surged in her eyes suddenly settled back to calm. Guiwan turned around and left, as abruptly as she had come.

"Xiaowan..." Yun Shu chased after her, but all she saw was her resolute back. She wanted to catch up, her foot just stepping forward when Ning Honghua stopped her. "Let her go!"

Yun Shu paused, then turned to Ning Honghua and sighed. "She must have heard what you said..."

Ning Honghua’s face was cold.

Seeing him like that, Yun Shu shook her head. "She came to see you. Why can’t you show her a little kindness? Honghua, I don’t believe you truly hate her that much. Have you forgotten how you used to dote on her? You wanted to give her the best of everything. How could you now..."

"Don’t talk about the past," Ning Honghua coughed twice, his face flushing red. It took him a while to calm down. "I spoiled her too much before, made her arrogant and oblivious to the ways of the world. This is much better now..."

"You should leave, and take these things with you," Ning Honghua said as he lay back down.

Yun Shu watched him for a while, then sighed again. She packed up the meal, called the male orderly, turned off the light, and said, "I’ll go check on Bingde then."

As she reached the door, she stopped. Turning back, she looked at the middle-aged man lying on the hospital bed. "I know you’re angry at Xiaowan, and I’m partly to blame. It’s because Xiaowan hurt my two daughters, and you feel you owe me and want to make amends."

"But Honghua, the debt you owed me was settled when you brought our family to Shencheng. Even if you want to make amends, it shouldn’t be by hurting Xiaowan."

"As for Rongyue and Qinghan, they enjoyed wealth and glory that wasn’t theirs to begin with. Losing something in return is only fair."

"Take Shuangshuang, for example. She wronged you, but you hurt her so badly that it ultimately cost her her life. That should settle the score."

The hospital room door slowly closed, the hinges making a faint scraping sound.

The sound seemed to come from a distant void, hollow and sorrowful. After a long while, the man on the hospital bed slowly sat up. He took the newspaper that had been set aside earlier and opened it. Light from the window streamed in, illuminating the newspaper’s contents and Ning Honghua’s face, already streaked with old tears.

On the newspaper was the report about Guiwan being attacked by Qiao Youning.

Ning Honghua caressed the face that looked so much like his deceased wife, the pain and conflict in his eyes bursting forth.

I’m sorry... Your father... doesn’t know how to face you...

When love and hatred drive side by side, the deeper the love, the deeper the hatred.

「...」

Ning Guiwan sat on the curb. Clear paths stretched out on either side, yet she was clueless as to which way to go.

Passersby glanced sideways. On this cold, desolate winter night, the woman in red was the brightest splash of color, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her eyes were downcast, a lost expression on her face.

A tall man in a black coat approached her. Only then did the girl slowly lift her eyes. She seemed surprised, and after a long pause, a smile touched her lips.

"How did you know I was here?" Ning Guiwan stretched her legs out, supporting herself with her hands on her knees, carelessly tossing her shiny silver clutch on the ground.

After asking, she ’oh’ed and laughed. "Lai Yang told you?"

"Sitting on the ground like this? Aren’t you afraid of getting dirty?" Quan Yu asked while extending his hand toward her.

The dim streetlight fell on his face, accentuating his strong, chiseled features. His voice was deep yet gentle, "Come on, I’ll take you home."

Ning Guiwan looked at that hand, the palm lines clear under the streetlight.

"Home?"

She murmured the word, then chuckled softly and placed her hand in Quan Yu’s palm, her eyes misty despite her smile. "I don’t have a home."

Quan Yu gazed at her radiant smile, his eyes profound. He didn’t immediately release her hand, holding it firmly but gently. "If you’re willing, I am your home."

The man’s tone was sincere yet resolute.

Ning Guiwan looked at him, the mist in her beautiful eyes thickening, the smile still radiant on her lips.

Quan Yu raised his other hand. His fingers slightly curved, the backs of his fingers gently brushed against the girl’s curls resting on her shoulder. His voice was very low, almost blown away by the night wind, "It’s okay for a girl to be a bit delicate. Don’t hold back your tears when you feel like crying."

The next instant, Ning Guiwan rushed into his embrace.

Muffled sobs escaped from his embrace. Tenderness filled Quan Yu’s eyes, softening his brow.

He raised his hands to hold the girl’s slender body, gently patting her back.

His low, soothing voice spilled from his thin lips, "I know you’ve been wronged. Come to me, Wanwan. I won’t let you suffer even the slightest grievance."

The north wind rose abruptly, tangling their coats together, their shadows merging into one on the ground.

"I’ll speak to the old lady about it. You don’t have to worry."

After a good while, Ning Guiwan stepped back from his embrace. Though her eyes were red and swollen and her eyelashes moist, she otherwise appeared as if she hadn’t just been crying. Her lips still held a bright smile. "I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. If I have the chance in the future, I’m willing to repay you twofold."

"But I can’t be with you. Someone like me can offer you nothing—not love, not consideration, not even the warmth between a husband and wife. I want you to be happy, not to waste your time and feelings on an empty marriage."