Chairman Husband, Too Boorish - 160.1

Chapter 160.1 : I think it would be better if we separated.

Yan Liang looked at Liang Xi Cheng's tall figure standing by the window. The warm sunlight fell on him, and his delicate features held a hint of coldness. He spoke again, but because he was standing a little far away, his voice seemed somewhat ethereal.

"... After your father and my mother broke up, he met your mother. I don't know how they got together, but I know that shortly after their marriage, you were born. Yan Liang, did you know that your father was also an architect?"

Liang Xi Cheng reached out and flicked his cigarette ash, his handsome features seemingly hidden beneath the white smoke, his expression inscrutable.

Yan Liang's heart skipped a beat, surprised.

Her father was an architect?

She seemed to have never heard her mother mention about the death. While some of her childhood memories had faded, she could still clearly recall some happy times her family had spent together. She remembered her father working for a small company back then, earning a modest but comfortable life. She had never known he was actually an architect.

So, her lifelong love for architecture ... was it inherited from her father?

Seeing Yan Liang's shocked and surprised expression, Liang Xi Cheng had already guessed—she was truly unaware.

His brow furrowed slightly; the question that had been lingering in his mind was now clearly explained.

"... And then?" Yan Liang didn't dwell on her father's profession for long, eager to know what happened next.

Liang Xi Cheng raised his hand, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and slowly exhaled the smoke. His voice, tinged with a sexy huskiness, said, "After that ... your father and a colleague he knew took on a project together."

He narrowed his eyes, his burning gaze fixed on Yan Liang's face, where the blush had faded. He watched as her red lips were tightly pursed, and beneath her calm, handsome face lay a deep, aching pain known only to him. Some things, after all, had to be said.

Liang Xi Cheng tightened his grip on the cigarette, as if some force deep within his soul was urging him on, causing him to blurt out, "... The project they took on was a collaboration between the Liang and Ye families."

Yan Liang's ten fingers twisted together. Upon hearing "Liang family" and "Ye family," her entire body tensed instantly. Her already pale face turned ashen, and her lips trembled.

Liang Xi Cheng noticed her expression, his brows furrowing even more. He wanted to step forward, but found himself lacking the courage to do so.

—There was an even crueler truth to tell her. If he got closer, he feared she would run away, that she wouldn't listen to him finish and would rush out of the room without looking back …

This was a VIP ward. There was an ashtray in the adjacent suite, but he didn't reach for it. He held the half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, the crimson glow shimmering, almost burning his skin. Liang Xi Cheng's voice deepened.

"... Yan Liang, hearing this, you must be thinking that your father's death is related to this project, which happens to be a collaboration between the Liang and Ye families. So, is your father's death also related to the Liang and Ye families? I don't want to deceive you; it is indeed related. It has a lot to do with my father, Liang Qi Cheng. However, your father committed suicide. He died right in front of our Liang family's house. But the whole matter isn't as simple as it seems on the surface. I can't give you the best answer right now. I can only tell you that my father bears some responsibility in this matter, but ... he really didn't do it intentionally. Ye Sheng Ming ... he orchestrated everything. Perhaps you'll think I'm just making excuses for my father, but do you believe me?"

... Silence.

The air seemed to freeze.

Outside, the sunlight was clearly bright, but the dappled light filtering through the dense branches of the trees outside the window offered no warmth whatsoever. The ward had instantly plunged into a dark abyss. The two person, one standing and one sitting, seemed separated by an insurmountable chasm.

Liang Xi Cheng frowned. A gust of wind blew in, and he felt the cigarette between his fingers burn faster. The crimson glow had already settled on his skin. His fingers twitched unconsciously, but he ultimately turned and went into the next room. Just as he bent down to stub out the cigarette in the ashtray, he heard a loud "bang" outside.

His spine stiffened, and he suddenly realized what was happening. Looking outside, he saw that Yan Liang, who had been sitting on the sofa, was gone. The ward door was wide open. He quickly ran after her, just in time to see her petite figure disappear into the elevator like a rocket at the end of the corridor.

Liang Xi Cheng frowned, cursing under his breath. He wanted to call her, but then remembered that Li Yun Qin had smashed his phone earlier. He could only hurry after her. When he reached the elevator, he saw that the number had already jumped first floor. She must be trying to leave the hospital?

Liang Xi Cheng didn't think too much about it. Waiting for the elevator was too slow, and he was afraid that Yan Liang would run too far to catch up. He turned around and rushed into the back stairwell. Fortunately, it wasn't a very high floor, and he ran down, quickly reaching the hospital entrance.

Someone of his status was naturally recognized by the hospital staff. Seeing him run out in such a disheveled state, several nurses flinched in fright. Liang Xi Cheng frowned, grabbed one of the nurses, and demanded sharply, "Did you see a woman run out? Wearing a light blue striped jacket, did you see her?!"

"... No ... I ..."

"Damn it, I'm asking you, did you see her?"

The nurse's eyes reddened with fear at Liang Xi Cheng's fierce appearance, and she couldn't utter a sound. Luckily, someone nearby noticed and quickly stepped forward, saying, "... I saw her, Miss Bai ... she seemed to run in that direction." She pointed to the side; she recognized her, probably because she had changed Yan Liang's dressing earlier, and knew her relationship with Liang Xi Cheng.

Liang Xi Cheng shoved the nurse aside and ran out quickly.

The hospital entrance was right next to a main road, bustling with cars and pedestrians at this hour. Liang Xi Cheng anxiously scanned the crowd, but couldn't spot any familiar faces. His heart was pounding in his chest. At this moment, he couldn't tell whether telling her the whole truth was right or wrong.

But if he didn't tell her, would she give up? No. Liang Xi Cheng knew Yan Liang's personality best; she was the kind of person who always wanted to get to the bottom of things.

So, should he choose to lie? If he did, the lie would eventually be exposed, making it even harder to explain.

Therefore, fate cruelly left him only one path: to confess.

He knew she would find it unbearable, and he was prepared, but he hadn't expected his negligence. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

He felt guilty, remorseful, his heart aching as if stabbed by a sharp object.

People came and went, so many people, but he couldn't find her. Right under his nose, she was gone, he couldn't find her …

It was as if his center of gravity had been suddenly pulled away, and then another unprecedented panic surged up, overwhelming his reason. He wiped his cheek, and with utter helplessness, quickly returned to the operating room door.

Guan Jiu was still waiting at the door, two breakfasts on the bench. Chu Yi Sheng had already left.

“… Chairman Liang.” Guan Jiu saw the man rushing up, his usually composed and handsome face now showing obvious panic. He quickly stood up and went to meet him.

“How much longer will the surgery take?”

Guan Jiu noticed Liang Xi Cheng’s slightly breathless voice when he asked. He raised his wrist to check the time. “It’s been over three hours since she went in. I think it will take another three hours.”

“Go back immediately and send someone to find Yan Liang.”

Guan Jiu’s heart skipped a beat. He sensed something bad was about to happen, and he suspected it was related to Yan Liang. After all, the only person in the world who could make Liang Xi Cheng so panicked was Bai Yan Liang.

But what he hadn’t expected was that Yan Liang was gone?

“… Chairman Liang, has Mrs. Liang left?” Without any clues, he didn’t know where to begin.

Liang Xi Cheng pressed his aching temples, his voice hoarse, "... She found out about her father's affairs from over 20 years ago, and she couldn't accept it. She ran away too fast; I couldn't catch her. Send someone immediately. I don't care what method you use, you must find her. Get me a new phone; I'll wait at the hospital."

It wouldn't be good to leave Qin Mu Hua alone during surgery, so Liang Xi Cheng had no choice but to stay.

He trusted Guan Jiu to find someone; he knew Guan Jiu's capabilities well.

Guan Jiu didn't hesitate and quickly left the hospital. Within 20 minutes, someone returned with Liang Xi Cheng's new phone.

Sitting in the hospital corridor, Liang Xi Cheng hesitated for a long time before finally calling Liang Chong Shan.

Without any beating around the bush, he was asking for a favor. Liang Chong Shan was, after all, his grandfather. He had turned a blind eye to his mother's situation before, mainly hoping that his grandfather would eventually do him a favor in matters of social niceties.

However, he hadn't expected that this favor would be reciprocated so quickly.

"... Yes, she's in City A, but I don't know where she is right now. Grandpa, I rarely ask you for favors, but this time, I'm begging you. Please help me find her, but don't frighten her. I just want to know where she is."

Liang Chong Shan had been in politics for many years; finding someone in City A wasn't a difficult task for him.

His grandson's words were merely a way to save face. He was always a reasonable and understanding person. He didn't dislike Bai Yan Liang, but the disparity in their social status, coupled with all the events that had transpired, meant that now he felt more guilt towards the child.

He knew perfectly well what his daughter-in-law had done, yet he ultimately sacrificed others to protect the Liang family and his own reputation … Therefore, when Liang Xi Cheng made this request, Liang Chong Shan agreed without hesitation.

"… Give me some time, I'll help you find her." He paused, then asked, "Today … are you at the First Hospital?"

The First Hospital had a deep connection with Liang Chong Shan. Qin Mu Hua was staying there, and Liang Chong Shan knew her daily situation perfectly well. His question indicated he already knew Qin Mu Hua was undergoing surgery today.

Liang Xi Cheng hummed in agreement.

Liang Chong Shan sighed softly, "... A-Cheng, the person needs to be saved. It's good that she's awake; I'm relieved that no one died. However, after Qin Mu Hua wakes up, I don't want anything bad to happen, do you understand? If you agree, I'll help you find her daughter."

This was essentially a condition for the deal.

Liang Chong Shan also felt that he might have been a bit despicable, but he had no other choice. People are selfish; when making choices, they always consider themselves first.

Liang Xi Cheng wasn't surprised much and didn't hesitate, readily agreeing, "I know."

After hanging up, he looked up again at the operating room; the three red characters were lit. He checked the time on his wrist; he still had a long wait. His heart was pounding, and he couldn't calm down.

Yan Liang ...

***

Yan Liang wondered, where should she go now, or where could she possibly go?

She didn't know herself.

She only remembered leaving the hospital and running as fast as she could, just wanting to run as far away as possible, because she couldn't face anyone, just as she couldn't face what had happened.

They say the truth is cruel, and those who don't know are happy.

She hadn't felt that way before, but now she truly understood it deeply.

She didn't know how to describe this feeling. She only knew that she wouldn't resent anyone. Regardless of whether her father's death was truly related to Liang Qi Cheng, or … whether Ye Sheng Ming was behind it all, she was certain that at this moment, she had neither the strength to resent anyone nor the courage to face anyone.

Especially—Liang Xi Cheng.

How could she face him?

He said, "Yan Liang, that incident was actually related to my father, but it wasn't entirely his responsibility."

Should she believe him? Believe … such simple words, yet carrying such immense pressure?

She wanted to believe him, but faced with the cruel truth, she chose to run away.

She knew that no matter how far she went, Liang Xi Cheng would eventually find her. She hadn't considered never seeing him again; she wasn't the kind of person who couldn't distinguish right from wrong. In truth, she was already Mrs. Liang, just as he had said to her in a domineering tone before telling her the truth—"You can know, but after you know, you can't run away from me."

She hadn't thought of running away from him, but now she needed a breathing space to process everything.

Having lived in City A for so many years, this was the first time she'd been like this—without a penny on her, her hands empty, as if she'd even forgotten her phone in that hospital room. The only thing she had left was probably the purple hair clip in her pocket.

Yan Liang didn't know how long she had walked alone.

Passing by elementary, middle, high schools, and universities in City A, she saw many energetic students playing ball, running, and chatting in small groups, carefree and at that age. Passing by shopping malls, she saw meticulously made-up women shopping sprees. Passing by hotels, she saw successful men in sharp suits coming and going, their faces beaming after finalizing contracts. Passing by convenience stores, she saw people sitting by newsstands, flipping through today's headlines, their faces also radiating a kind of smile, perhaps called contentment. Passing by the market, she saw men and women haggling over a few dollars …

Suddenly, she felt that this city was vast, and the people living here seemed fulfilled.

But she, alone, felt an unprecedented despair and emptiness.

She had always known that there was a Ming Yang Mountain in City A. It was said that if you watched the sunset and then the sunrise from the summit, you could live a simple, happy, and joyful life.

Yan Liang had never been there before. She used to believe that happiness and joy were things one had to strive for. What did watching the sunrise and sunset have to do with anything?

But at this moment, she suddenly wanted to climb up and experience it for herself. After watching the sunrise and sunset from the summit of Ming Yang Mountain, could she truly forget all her pain and live simply, happily?

She was recovering from a serious illness, and her strength was naturally not what it used to be. Ming Yang Mountain wasn't particularly difficult to climb. Because many people went up, and the government had previously developed the area into a tourist zone, there was a pedestrian path in the middle of the mountain. The path was quite flat, but after walking for a long time, she still felt tired.

Yan Liang climbed up like this, passing pavilions, sitting down for a while when she felt tired, then getting up and continuing to climb. This repeated until she reached the summit in the afternoon. She hadn't eaten anything and was extremely hungry. With nothing on her, she sat weakly on a large rock, reached out to support her forehead, and squinted at the scenery below.

It was as if the world beneath her feet had shrunk, and standing at such a height, her vision was both blurry and clear.

She closed her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze caress her cheeks. It wasn't cold, but rather comfortable, relaxing, utterly relaxing.

"You have good energy. How was the climb?"

She didn't know how much time had passed when a deep male voice suddenly came from behind her. It was familiar. Yan Liang's heart skipped a beat, but the next second, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Familiar, but not that voice that resonated deep within her soul—so—it wasn't him.

She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, a soft female voice, as if softened by the wind, becoming even more delicate, "... How did you know I was here?"

"It's not hard to find out where you are."

Chu Yi Sheng stepped forward and sat down beside her. He took a piece of bread and a bottle of water from a plastic bag and handed them to her. "You only had a little breakfast, and it's been several hours now. Aren't you hungry? Eat something."

Yan Liang turned around and glanced at him. "You've been following me the whole time?"

"Sort of." He placed the water bottle on a nearby rock, raised an eyebrow, and the wind ruffled his black hair, making the already dashing man seem even more alluring. "I was just about to leave the hospital when I saw you run out, so I followed you."

Yan Liang's lips twitched slightly. Now, she didn't dislike Chu Yi Sheng. In fact, when she was helpless and vulnerable, there was always a man who stood up to try to help her. No one would push away that hand, especially since he meant no harm.

She reached up and smoothed the wind-blown hair around her ear, her voice low, "Luckily, it was you who came with me, otherwise, I don't know where I could have hidden."

Perhaps it was the place like this that was so relaxing, perhaps it was the heavy burden on her heart, or perhaps she had always known that Chu Yi Sheng knew many things.

—She felt that at this moment, in front of him, she didn't need to hide her true emotions; he should understand everything she wanted to say.

Chu Yi Sheng smiled, unwrapped the bread for her, and handed it to her. "If you want, I can always stand by your side. Those you don't want to see won't find you."

Yan Liang's gaze was fixed on the bread in his hand. She reached out, pinched off a corner, swallowed it, and then looked up, suddenly giving the man before her a dazzling smile.

The wind tousled her long hair, and she smiled at him, her eyes crinkling, more radiant than the stars in the sky. Chu Yi Sheng felt his heart, the place entangled by vines, ache even more.

“I just need to calm down, some space. I won’t keep running away from reality,” she said.

Chu Yi Sheng looked away somewhat awkwardly, putting down the bread he was holding, and frowned. “Don’t smile at me like that.”

Yan Liang was taken aback, equally embarrassed. She hadn’t meant it. “I’m sorry …”

“Why are you apologizing to me?”

“…”

Actually, she didn’t know. She just felt like she inexplicably owed him a lot.

She thought for a moment before going along with his words, “… I shouldn’t have smiled at you like that.”

“You shouldn’t have done so many things to me.”

A bitter smile curved Chu Yi Sheng's lips. Perhaps it was the environment that was so relaxing. The two sat side by side. This man, usually so meticulous and shrewd in business, had shed his usual decisive and ruthless demeanor. His handsome face relaxed, and he involuntarily uttered, "... Yan Liang, I never imagined that one day I would sit here with you like this."

Yan Liang remained silent. Chu Yi Sheng gazed at her softly curved profile, his heart trembling violently, his eyes gradually becoming infatuated. Some things are truly hard to discern.

Was it the overwhelming desire, the unrequited love, that made him unable to forget? Or was it truly ... so deeply etched in his memory, impossible to erase?

He was also a prodigy. For Chu Yi Sheng, any woman he desired would be readily available. But only she, without him knowing when, had barged into his heart so forcefully. Even though she was someone else's woman, she had become an obsession.

Noticing the focused gaze beside her, Yan Liang felt somewhat awkward and coughed lightly, about to say something, when Chu Yi Sheng spoke first.

"... You know about those things?"

Yan Liang knew he was referring to her father and didn't intend to hide anything. Perhaps speaking out would ease things; lately, she'd been carrying too much on her mind.

"Yes."

"I don't know how far Liang Xi Cheng went with you, but I always felt that under these circumstances, I, the man who wanted your favor, should kick you while you're down." Chu Yi Sheng said, half-jokingly, half-seriously, "... Yan Liang, if I kick you while you're down, will you hate me?"

His words were always subtly implying—give me a chance.

Actually, there's more than one man in this world than Liang Xi Cheng. I, Chu Yi Sheng, can give you everything you could want.

He didn't say these things explicitly, but ... Yan Liang understood.

She didn't avoid his burning gaze, but simply shook her head and said earnestly, "I won't hate you, because even if you kick me when I'm down, it won't do any good."

Chapter 159        |        TOC        |        Chapter 160.2