Chairman Husband, Too Boorish - 159

Chapter 159 : Want to know? You can. But don't think about running away after you find out!

"You said I was just guessing, I'm not sure." Liang Xi Cheng frowned, his tone slightly irritated. "You deliberately let her hear those things? Chu Yi Sheng, I know that recently, while I was investigating something, you were also investigating, so you know everything about Bai Qi, right?"

Chu Yi Sheng raised an eyebrow, nodding readily, not denying it. "That's right, I know everything."

Liang Xi Cheng looked at Chu Yi Sheng, coldly curling his lips. "You've put in the effort. Don't forget, Yan Liang, she's my Mrs. Liang."

"I never deny that she's your Mrs. Liang, but I won't hide my feelings either." Chu Yi Sheng looked at Liang Xi Cheng, both men's eyes gleaming with rivalry. His eyes gleamed with determination as he spoke, each word distinct, "Liang Xi Cheng, I love Bai Yan Liang. So, what if she's your wife? You should know that something that happened over 20 years ago can't be hidden forever. The more you try to hide something, the more likely you are to slip up. Can't you see what she just found out? She has no happiness with you."

Liang Xi Cheng's gaze sharpened instantly, his tone intensifying. "Chu Yi Sheng, let me tell you, don't even think about using something like that to interfere between me and Yan Liang. There has never been a 'you' between us—not before, not now, and not ever."

He turned and walked towards the end of the corridor.

Chu Yi Sheng watched Liang Xi Cheng's strong back, his deep eyes filled with complex emotions, a poignant sadness following his confident declaration.

... Oh ...

Yes, there was no third party between them. He couldn't interfere, and he couldn't anyway.

***

Yan Liang sat on the sofa, her eyes lowered, fiddling with a purple hair clip in her hand. She closed her eyes slightly, the heart-wrenching voice of Li Yun Qin echoing in her ears once more.

"Why do I lose to her in everything? Over twenty years ago, the man I loved, I lost to her, and now, she won't even tell me how Bai Qi died …"

"What does her car accident have to do with me? If she had told me back then, things wouldn't be like this, they definitely wouldn't be like this …"

She finally understood why she had seen Li Yun Qin when she went to visit her father in the back mountain. The question that had always puzzled her was finally clear.

It turned out that over 20 years ago, her father had a relationship with Li Yun Qin, and even now, she still couldn't forget him. Her mother had never told her the cause of her father's death, which was why she had lost control and kept pulling at her mother in front of that coffee shop that day, leading to her mother being hit by a car … Yan Liang's lips twitched, and the hand holding the purple hair clip unconsciously froze. She couldn't describe the feeling deep inside her at that moment; it was a complex mix of emotions, indescribable in words. The only word that came to mind was—melodramatic!

When Liang Xi Cheng pushed open the door, Yan Liang was sitting forlornly on the sofa. The room prepared for her was a VIP ward, fully equipped, but she hadn't turned on the lights. Although it was daytime, the curtains were drawn, and the room was pitch black, as if an indescribable sorrow permeated the darkness.

Liang Xi Cheng suppressed a sigh, pressed the switch on the entryway light, and light instantly replaced the darkness. Yan Liang subconsciously frowned, squinting her eyes. She heard the sound of a door closing, followed by steady footsteps approaching.

"Yan Liang." Liang Xi Cheng sat down, noticing the hair clip in her hand, and frowned. "Take a rest? Your mother should be out of surgery before you board your flight tonight."

Yan Liang calmly put away her hair clip. Although it seemed like a casual movement, Liang Xi Cheng noticed she was very careful.

She looked up at him, her tone unusually calm. "Xi Cheng, this is what I originally planned: to pretend I knew nothing. And as long as my mother was safe, I would get on a plane, go to England, to SGA. Maybe that would take a year and a half. I wasn't sure what would happen afterward, but I only wanted to trust you, to believe you would handle everything, even my mother's situation. I knew perfectly well that what I was doing was unfair to her, but I kept telling myself she would understand my decision. But just now, I overheard your conversation with your mother, and I realized I'd been holding back all along. This is a hurdle in my heart; if I can't overcome it, I won't be at peace leaving."

When people are at their most vulnerable, they always think of relying on those closest to them.

Yan Liang thought, this must have been how she was before—her mother's car accident, the cruel truth, SARS, miscarriage … When all the blows came at once, she was completely overwhelmed, clinging to the only warmth she could find.

A person in a fit of anger cannot empathize with others, but choosing to back down brings calm. When she put herself in his shoes and looked at the accident from his perspective, she thought she could choose to forgive.

This must be a feeling of—love me, love my dog, right?

But now … Now that she knows, how can she pretend to be ignorant, acting as if she knows nothing?

"... I was at the corner of the corridor the whole time." Yan Liang's voice lowered, and she spoke slowly, "I heard what you and your mother were saying. I was surprised, but at the same time, I feel like I understand some things I've never been able to understand before. For so many years, I didn't know how my father died. My mother never mentioned it to me. Now I know—there's more to it than meets the eye, you know it, right? Please tell me."

Liang Xi Cheng's brows furrowed. He knew before he came in what question she would ask him, but facing her, he still found it difficult to speak.

Should he really lay bare his complicated past, presenting it all before her, so she could see for herself how bloody and painful that past truly was?

Why, after finally getting closer, must a mountain fall between them?

If she knew that Bai Qi's death was related to her father, would she still sit so calmly before him?

Liang Xi Cheng was troubled, his heart pounding with a mix of emotions, an unbearable anxiety churning within him. He couldn't resist, taking out a cigarette, lighting it, and frowning as he took a couple of puffs before remembering he was in a hospital room and Yan Liang was sitting beside him. He quickly stubbed it out.

“Yan Liang, do you remember what I told you before?” Liang Xi Cheng hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously. “There are some things I didn't want to tell you, it's just that I felt you didn't necessarily need to know. I didn't want to deliberately hide anything from you, I just wanted to protect you.”

“What you call protection might not be what I want. Everyone has the right to know. It concerns my parents, and I already know half of it. I can't pretend nothing happened.”

“… Yan Liang.”

“If you really won’t tell me, I can go to Chu Yi Sheng. If I really want to know, I always find a way. But I want you to tell me this yourself.”

Yan Liang interrupted Liang Xi Cheng’s evasive words with a serious expression.

She brought up “Chu Yi Sheng” at this moment to provoke Liang Xi Cheng, because she knew that this man’s pride and possessiveness would absolutely not allow her to go to Chu Yi Sheng. Only in this way would he tell her what she wanted to know.

Sure enough, Liang Xi Cheng's eyes darkened. He reached out and pulled Yan Liang into his arms, one hand gripping the back of her neck, the other stroking her cheek. His voice was low and tense, "From now on, don't mention Chu Yi Sheng in front of me. You know I don't like you mentioning those three words in front of me. Whatever you want to know, I can tell you. But I hope you can stay calm and not involve our relationship. If you can do that, I'll tell you."

Yan Liang was quite perceptive, so when Liang Xi Cheng said—"I can tell you, but I hope you can stay calm and not involve our relationship"—she immediately sensed that what happened back then was definitely not simple.

—Her father was related to Li Yun Qin, so was his death also related to Li Yun Qin?

She frowned, a chill running through her. She could bear her mother's car accident, but did she also have to bear her father's death?

She felt heartbroken. The most terrifying thing was knowing nothing and making wild guesses. But the truth was right in front of her, within reach, yet she dared not reach out. It felt like two souls were tearing at each other inside her.

Pain and sorrow washed over her.

She knew she should face it bravely, but would facing it allow everything to return to its original state? Or would it leave her in a situation she couldn't even face?

Yan Liang didn't answer immediately. Liang Xi Cheng felt the unease in his heart grow stronger. He tightened his grip on her, his deep voice tinged with a domineering tone, "Yan Liang, I hope you understand. I never intended to hide everything. I knew you would find out someday. I just didn't expect it to be so soon. But it doesn't matter when. If you want to know, you will know. But before you know, let me make this clear: in this life, you are my wife, Liang Xi Cheng's wife. Never think of escaping me."

Yan Liang pursed her lips, remaining silent, her mind in turmoil.

Receiving no response, Liang Xi Cheng reached out and cupped the back of her head, then lowered his head and kissed her lips deeply.

She stubbornly pursed her lips, not overtly resisting, but still showing some resistance. Liang Xi Cheng's eyes darkened, a deep desire mixed with restlessness causing him to reach out and grasp her chin. With a slight pull, Yan Liang let out a soft "mmm," her teeth pried open, and Liang Xi Cheng's tongue immediately probed inside, finding her tongue and sucking it forcefully. Yan Liang felt a tingling sensation on her tongue, frowning and trying to push him away, but he only tightened his embrace. Originally, they were both sitting on the sofa, but Liang Xi Cheng simply reached under her armpits and lifted her up, ignoring her struggles, making her sit on his lap with her legs spread open in an ambiguous position.

She wasn't unfamiliar with his kisses; from the initial ambiguity and tenderness to the later lingering passion and depth, there were even moments of domineering force. But this kiss, tinged with a fierce unease, was different.

Yan Liang felt she should comfort him, but remembering Li Yun Qin's words, she couldn't remain indifferent.

It was painful; her soul felt controlled and torn apart by an invisible hand, unable to stop.

She struggled, but Liang Xi Cheng wouldn't let go, kissing her more deeply, a skillful possessiveness. Finally, she softened in his arms, and feeling her labored breathing, Liang Xi Cheng released her.

His breath was heavy, his forehead pressed against hers, his deep eyes fixed intently on the delicate face so close to his, flushed from his kisses.

"Now, you're thinking of running away from me?"

"..."

Yan Liang bit her lip, remaining silent.

Liang Xi Cheng's deep gaze flickered. He reached out and pressed his hand to her lips, suppressing a sigh of desire. "Don't do this, hmm? What am I supposed to do if you're like this?"

"Wife." His voice held a hint of weakness as he gently lifted her chin. "Look at me."

Yan Liang's slightly reddened eyes met Liang Xi Cheng's intense gaze. Looking at her reflection deep within his pupils, she suddenly felt she couldn't be like this. She had already thought it through; she wanted to face it. Why was she so hesitant now?

She took a deep breath and finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, "... Tell me what I want to know now. How did my father die?"

"Have you thought it through?"

Yan Liang nodded. "Yes."

Liang Xi Cheng reached out and supported her waist, pulling her closer to him. Yan Liang didn't resist; resisting would only make him uneasy, she thought, so she let him hold her so intimately.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, his deep voice particularly clear and sharp in the quiet room.

"I don't know where to begin. You just overheard my conversation with my mother, so you should know that my mother ... when she was young, she was in love with your father. My mother came from a scholarly family, and my maternal grandfather was a man who valued social standing. He disapproved of my mother and your father's relationship and used many methods to break them up, finally succeeding in separating them."

"I don't know what my grandfather said to your father back then, but I think you should know that your father is a man of great integrity, and he must have said some unpleasant things, forcing your father and mother to separate. My mother has never known all these years that the reason they broke up was because my maternal grandfather interfered behind the scenes. She thought your father had abandoned her, and in a fit of anger, she agreed to the marriage proposal of the man who had fallen in love with her at first sight—my father. In the more than 20 years of marriage, she has never forgotten your father. I think, in this life, she has probably only ever truly loved your father."

"..."

Liang Xi Cheng paused, feeling a bitter taste in his throat. He had Yan Liang sit beside him before asking, "May I smoke?"

Yan Liang knew he only smoked heavily when he was agitated.

She controlled her emotional fluctuations, having heard the first part of the story from back then, and calmly nodded.

Liang Xi Cheng lit a cigarette, got up from the sofa, walked to the window, opened the curtains, and pushed open the window to let the smoke dissipate, not wanting her to inhale too much secondhand smoke.

Yan Liang watched Liang Xi Cheng's tall figure standing by the window, the warm sunlight falling on him. His refined features held a hint of coldness. He spoke again, but because he was standing some distance away, his voice seemed somewhat ethereal.

 

Chapter 158        |        TOC        |        Chapter 160.1