Chairman Husband, Too Boorish - 180

Chapter 180 : The more you love, the more you hurt

“And what about you? Aren’t you hurting me too?”

“If you keep locking me up like this, I’ll always manage to do something. Today I can cut myself with broken glass, tomorrow I can do the same … Liang Xi Cheng, do you think you can stop me?”

“… Let me leave here. I don’t want to live here anymore, or I’ll cut myself right now …”

“No! Yan Liang, don’t do this, don’t be impulsive, whatever it is, talk to me—"

Liang Xi Cheng reached out, his long, well-defined fingers trembling. His voice trembled too, and his bloodshot eyes bulged. "You want to leave, don't you? I'll let you go. Don't be impulsive, don't hurt yourself, do you hear me?"

Yan Liang still clutched the shard of glass tightly. Her palm was already cut, but she felt no pain. A part of her body ached more than her hand, making it hard to breathe. Through her teary eyes, the man she saw seemed to blur.

His deep-set features were so striking. His eyes were most captivating, like autumn water, with slender, slightly upturned corners, and a touch of elegance in their depths … She had once thought that those eyes shone brighter than the stars in the sky, and he was her star, the most dazzling star in the entire world.

But now, the star was about to fall. From now on, would her world be plunged into darkness?

"... Make all those people downstairs leave, and then you leave too!"

Liang Xi Cheng clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on the back of his hands bulged. He watched helplessly as she clutched the shard, blood continuously flowing from her pale palm, a sight that stung his eyes. He couldn't bear to look any longer; the bleeding from her hand felt like someone was stabbing his heart with a sharp object.

"... Fine, I'll leave. I'll make sure everyone leaves. Calm down, don't hurt yourself, Yan Liang ..."

"Leave! Leave right now!"

This woman before him wouldn't let him control her in the slightest.

She was so stubborn, preferring to shatter like jade. What could he do? He knew all her grievances, but he didn't know how to soothe her pain. He had used the most foolish method, which had led to this fierce confrontation.

“Okay, I’ll go, I’ll leave right away.”

His gaze lingered on her hand, his thin lips pale, almost bloodless. “You can go wherever you want, I won’t stop you anymore, Yan Liang, don’t hurt yourself, this is my last request. Where do you want to go? I’ll have the driver …”

“No need! I don’t want your people to take me, give me back my phone, I want it now!”

“It’s already very late, who do you know in England? You don’t know anyone, who can you contact if you take the phone …”

“This is my own business.” Her nose was too sore, her eyes were too sore, maintaining one posture for so long only made her feel more tired, her voice choked, rough He was practically mute, yet as stubborn as a stone, saying each word carefully, "From now on, we will have nothing to do with each other anymore, so don't interfere in my affairs."

"... Yan Liang!"

"Don't say anymore."

She bit her lip tightly. There were things she wanted to say, but feared that if she didn't, she might never have the chance again. She interrupted him, "... Please don't say anymore. I don't want to hear another word from you that makes me resent you. That way, at least I can hold onto this resentment and keep going. I will live well. Don't worry, as long as you let me go and never interfere with me again, I will definitely live well."

Let each other have a way out, leave each other a chance to live.

Liang Xi Cheng gazed intently at her, taking in all her heartache, resentment, and pain. He knew her too well; guessing her thoughts was effortless.

In this world, love is one of the hardest things to hide.

And for him, the most painful thing was—two people who clearly loved each other being separated in such a tragic way.

He lowered his eyes, and after a moment, he raised his head again, gazing at her with deep sorrow in his eyes. He spoke, his tone gentle, "I'm sorry, Yan Liang. I owe you so much. I know saying 'I'm sorry' is meaningless. When I proposed to you, I said I would never let you cry again, but now, in front of me, you're not only crying, you're bleeding. I haven't done enough; I've failed miserably. I never imagined that one day we would hurt each other so violently. I should have understood that fish and bear paws cannot be had at the same time. I admit, I truly have no other choice. Abandoning one Liang family was one thing, but abandoning the entire Liang family is another. There's too much responsibility on my shoulders. Yet I'm not in a position to demand that you shoulder it with me ..."

"But Yan Liang, I love you, you have to believe me."

"... It's not that I really want to let you go. If I could, I've thought about it; no matter what it takes, I want to keep you by my side. I'm willing to spend my whole life healing your wounds."

"... But now, I can't watch you hurt yourself like this, so I'm willing to back down."

Liang Xi Cheng bent down, reached for his coat on the sofa. He didn't put it on; his shirt was half-undone, and the hem was hanging out of his trousers, looking disheveled and somewhat pathetic. He turned around, not giving Yan Liang another glance, and walked straight out of the bedroom.

Only after the bedroom door closed did Yan Liang seem to collapse, the shards of glass in her hand falling to the floor with a clatter. She slumped down, her body supporting her on the sofa. Her injured hand moved slightly; looking at her bloodied palm, she laughed maniacally.

She traded her freedom for such a drastic method, but … it still hurt. Every part of her body aches.

Xi Cheng, Xi Cheng …

She silently repeated this name in her heart, over and over again, letting the two words be deeply imprinted on her heart.

It wasn't that she didn't love him; she wanted to leave because she loved him too much, cared too much, and couldn't tolerate even the slightest imperfection. That's why she wanted to go.

The more she loved, the more painful it became …

This time, Liang Xi Cheng didn't go back on his word. Yan Liang cleaned her injuries in her room; there was a small first-aid kit. She quickly bandaged them, changed her clothes, and then went downstairs. Sure enough, she found that many people in the residence had already left.

Only a man who looked like a butler was standing in the living room. Yan Liang had stayed there for three days without interacting with anyone, so she didn't know this man's identity. However, he was always the one who initiated conversations, so she guessed he was the butler.

It was a middle-aged man, not British. Judging from his accent, Yan Liang determined he was from City A. The man stepped forward, nodded respectfully to her, and then said, "Madam, the master asked me to wait for you here. He asked me to give you the phone."

Yan Liang didn't bother correcting his form of address. She nodded, took the phone, and found it was fully charged. Without saying a word, she turned to leave, but the butler suddenly stepped forward and stopped her. "Madam, it's quite late now. It's inconvenient for you to go out like this. Tell me where you're going, and I'll have the driver take you."

"No need."

Yan Liang shook her head, continuing on her way out the front door.

The housekeeper was about to chase after them when Yan Liang paused at the doorway. Hearing footsteps, she frowned in annoyance, her hoarse voice carrying a hint of coldness, "Didn't Liang Xi Cheng tell you? I don't need your driver!"

"…"

Yan Liang, phone in hand, walked out of the unfamiliar residence. A road stretched out in front of the door; it was indeed late, so there was hardly anyone on the street. She walked alone, staring down at her toes, taking each step with a feeling that the road would never end.

Where should she go …? She didn't know. She didn't want to go to school anymore. She always felt that place was familiar to Liang Xi Cheng, and staying there was like staying under his watchful eye. But where could she go to completely sever ties with him?

Yan Liang touched her phone, thinking of her mother in City A.

In this world, her only remaining relative made her feel even more lonely and helpless. Yet, she wanted to leave, and she wanted to take her mother with her. Deep down, she knew that wherever she went, she would still be under Liang Xi Cheng's watchful eye. But at the same time, she also knew that she no longer needed to worry about him coming for her.

That scene just now completely severed everything between him and her. She refused to budge an inch, and he wouldn't cross that line again.

Because he knew his own personality well; if he forced himself any further, she would definitely do something drastic.

Not far behind, a black car was hidden in the darkness, its headlights flashing, standing out starkly in the night. The driver glanced at the man in the back seat through the rearview mirror. A cigarette, its end burned down between his long fingers, was unnoticed. His deep eyes, bloodshot, were fixed on the indistinct figure walking ahead.

It was as if he were looking at his entire world; the suppressed pain in his eyes would break anyone's heart.

The driver hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "Mr. Liang, should we follow her?"

"No need."

The cigarette between his fingers burned his hand. Liang Xi Cheng's arm trembled. He glanced down at the cigarette, now almost burned out, before opening the car door, getting out, and tossing the cigarette butt aside. He calmly instructed the driver, "Drive the car away. I'll go back myself."

***

Yan Liang walked aimlessly along the quiet path. The streetlights cast long, drawn-out echoes of her voice. She held her phone, constantly calculating the time. It should be afternoon in City A, right? Should she call Chu Yi Sheng?

In City A, she couldn't find anyone else who could help her. She didn't want to go back to City A, nor did she want to stay in England. She couldn't stay at SGA, the school where she had attended every class with utmost care anymore. She didn't want to go to Rex either; he was Liang Xi Cheng's friend. She knew everything she was doing was futile, but at least this persistence made her feel a little better.

But she hesitated before making the call. Should she make it?

Asking Chu Yi Sheng for help would be tantamount to siding with him. He already harbored feelings for her; she had rejected him before, and now she was turning around and seeking him out again …

Yan Liang bit her lip, ultimately unable to do it. Her selfishness disgusted her with her own actions.

The phone screen lit up and went black, then lit up again, before finally being put back in her pocket.

She didn't make the call. Instead, she chose to return to her old residence, pack her things, and personally go back to City A to see her mother.

Yan Liang walked forward alone, never looking back. She didn't realize that if she did, she could see, not far away, another long shadow cast by the streetlights, walking forlornly along the same path.

The only difference was that the person behind only saw the one in front, following her footsteps.

"This world is so big, I'm truly afraid that if I turn around, I won't be able to find you. I promised you I wouldn't follow you anymore, but I've never promised myself that."

Yan Liang wasn't familiar with the roads in England, especially this place. She'd never been before. It was late at night, and there wasn't a single car. She walked for a while and felt tired. Looking at the time, it was almost dawn. Was she supposed to wait here until daylight to find a ride?

That feeling of loneliness, like a fierce tide, crashed over her wave after wave. Suppressed emotions were amplified by helplessness …

Finally, she'd reached this point. What she'd been striving for these past few days was probably just this: to leave that house with nothing, and then be able to freely plan her future. But now that she'd actually come to this, why was she still sad, so sad she wanted to cry?

That name, etched deep in her heart, seemed impossible to utter again. She knew that every time she said it, she would lose control, just like now …

Xi Cheng, Liang Xi Cheng …

A sudden stinging sensation welled up in Yan Liang's eyes, and she couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down her face. She paused, stopping.

The figure in front of him suddenly stopped, and Liang Xi Cheng, following behind, also paused, hastily moving to the side. Luckily, the road was lined with many plane trees, their thick trunks providing some cover for the man.

Liang Xi Cheng stood to the side for a moment before cautiously peeking out. He saw Yan Liang squatting by the roadside, her hands gripping the curb tightly, her eyes lowered, lost in thought.

Even though they were about 100 meters apart, and with a thin mist in the air, Liang Xi Cheng could clearly sense a deep sorrow emanating from the woman squatting there.

Chapter 179        |        TOC        |        Chapter 181