Silence fell.

Liu Changqing hadn’t expected that this was the “important matter” Chu Fang had asked him to come hear.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked at her with a tinge of disappointment.

“I already knew that. So… is this what you meant by something important?”

“…Yeah.”

Hearing that, Chu Fang looked a bit embarrassed.

Thinking it over, she realized—

if Liu Changqing had past conflicts with Li Wanran and her daughter, then he likely already knew quite a bit.

Back then, most of her contact had been with Li Chongming.

Only later did she hear fragmented details about Li Wanran and her daughter’s current situation from him.

Trying to salvage the moment, Chu Fang quickly added,

“And Ye Rong’s situation isn’t good either. I heard a lot of her business partnerships have already—”

“I know.”

He cut her off before she could finish.

These outdated updates—he’d already known about them.

Realizing that Chu Fang genuinely might not know much at all, Liu Changqing lost interest in hearing more.

Looking at her face, carefully made up but now tinged with panic,

he gave her a kind smile.

“You just wanted an excuse to get me here, didn’t you?”

“……”

That single sentence hit the mark.

Chu Fang slowly lowered her head.

Being called out like that—

it stung.

Liu Changqing didn’t push her, just stood quietly watching.

After a while, she softly spoke:

“…I’m sorry.”

Her hands, hanging naturally at her sides, clenched tightly.

“My sister kept saying she wanted to see you. Recently… I barely had time to visit her. And every time I did, she’d ask when you were coming.

I kept lying to her, saying you’d be here soon. After all that happened, I even changed my phone number… because I didn’t want to bother you anymore.

But this time…”

Her words came slowly, voice low and hesitant.

Toward the end, her sentences began to falter.

Then, raising her head, Chu Fang looked at Liu Changqing.

Her tone suddenly grew louder—

“This time, I didn’t want to lie to her anymore. I’ve lied enough.

I lied and said Mom was doing well, just too busy with work to visit.

I lied and said you’d be coming to play with her soon.

I’ve lied to so many people…

and I lied to you too.

I… I’m just that kind of person. A person who lies all the time.

I’m sorry.”

Those last three words landed like a hammer, pounding at Liu Changqing’s heart.

Looking at Chu Fang—saying all this straight to his face—he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

Fate was never fair.

Some people are born into happy families and grow up smoothly.

Others are born into less fortunate households and stumble through life filled with hardship…

They’re all human—

but the paths they walk are so different.

The only thing people can do is summon the strength to change their lives bit by bit.

Not chasing riches—just hoping for a life without disaster or misfortune.

It sounds simple… but it’s so hard.

Some people spend their whole lives and never manage it.

Liu Changqing despised those who stood on moral high ground, judging others.

People who’d never been through such pain, projecting their own values onto others like it was gospel.

Chu Fang, without a doubt, was one of the unlucky ones.

She once had a loving family of four—

but lost everything because of Li Chongming.

Forced from a well-loved daughter to what she was now.

Chu Fang’s chest felt tight.

Looking back on everything she’d done this past year,

she realized she’d become a completely different person from the girl who’d just graduated college.

Back then, she used to think…

She’d marry someone she truly loved.

He didn’t have to be rich—as long as he loved her, liked her, that was enough.

They’d have two kids—a boy and a girl.

The boy would protect his little sister, and she’d grow old with her husband.

That was the life she used to dream about.

But not anymore.

The person she had become… didn’t deserve that kind of life.

Her eyes grew misty.

Her vision began to blur as warm tears slid from the corners of her eyes.

She raised her hand and wiped at her face with her sleeve—

smudging the makeup she’d so carefully applied.

Liu Changqing looked at the girl in front of him,

her face now streaked with tears and makeup.

“You don’t need to apologize to me. You didn’t lie to your sister—

at the very least, the part about me coming to play with her wasn’t a lie.

I just… came a bit late, that’s all.”

“……”

“Oh right—

I haven’t asked, what are your plans from here?”

Hearing his question, Chu Fang sniffled hard, trying to steady her emotions.

After thinking a moment, she answered,

“I’m planning to sell the apartment in the city… and move back to the county.”

“Back to the county? But the hospitals there can’t treat your sister’s legs, can they?”

“We’re not treating her anymore…

Not here, not abroad. There’s no method to fix it right now.

Maybe someday in the future, but for now, staying in the hospital is just wasting money and time.”

“You don’t have to worry about the money. I—”

“Thank you, but…

staying in the hospital would just mean wasting your money too.

And honestly, I’m sick of this city.

Maybe going back to the county… is the best place for our family.”

“……”

Chu Fang had made peace with it.

Only after hearing this did Liu Changqing understand—

this was why she went so far as to lie just to get him here.

Because… they were leaving the city.

Looking at her now,

Liu Changqing couldn’t help wondering—

was it really worth it, to sacrifice so much just for revenge?

If she hadn’t chosen to get close to Li Chongming…

If she hadn’t gone down the path of vengeance…

If she’d just quietly worked, then maybe someday found someone willing to share the burden of caring for her family…

But the thought lasted only a few seconds.

No use pondering “what if.”

What’s done is done.

He looked at Chu Fang,

then turned and walked toward her sister’s hospital room.

As he walked, he said over his shoulder:

“Go wash your face. Your makeup’s a mess from crying.

If your sister sees you like this, she’ll worry.

I’ll go keep her company for a bit…”

And with that, Liu Changqing walked away.

Leaving Chu Fang alone in the stairwell.

After a long while—

the silence was once again broken…

by the sound of quiet sobbing.