Chapter 101: Choices, Difficult to Face
Xi Luo didn't want to push Liang Xiaoluo any further.
Liang Xiaoluo, touched by the casual tone of their conversation, stopped crying abruptly and murmured an apology. "I'm sorry. I'll make sure to wash the blanket later."
Xi Luo chuckled softly and reached out to gently pat her head. "Alright, I was just joking. Can't you tell? Now, sit tight while I heat up the porridge. You haven't eaten all day. If this goes on, I'll feel like saving you was all for nothing."
His words carried an undertone of obligation, knowing well from their brief time together that Liang Xiaoluo was a person of deep emotion. A debt of gratitude, however small, would compel her to act responsibly.
Liang Xiaoluo froze for a moment. Her heart, which had been wallowing in despair for so long, stirred slightly at Xi Luo's warm smile.
He was a young master cast aside by his family, yet he managed to live on with resilience. If he could endure his pain, why was she letting herself fall so far? More so, she owed him a debt—a life he had risked his own to save. She needed to repay him, if only to honor the memory of her lost child. Perhaps, in another world, her child would grow healthy and strong, guided by a better mother.
A Simple Meal
Xi Luo returned with a bowl of porridge and carefully fed Liang Xiaoluo. She had tried to take the bowl to eat on her own, but he firmly refused, leaving her with no choice but to obediently open her mouth.
"I'm full," she said after a few bites, setting the bowl aside.
"Not so fast. I spent two hours cooking this porridge. You need to finish a little more," he said stubbornly, his patience unwavering.
Unable to outlast his persistence, Liang Xiaoluo continued eating until the bowl was empty. Only then did Xi Luo smile in satisfaction. "That's better. You're improving. From now on, you'll eat every meal properly so you can recover."
Liang Xiaoluo nodded quietly, her head lowered. She thought to herself that she would remain here only because of her gratitude toward Xi Luo. Once the debt was repaid, she would leave.
A Peaceful Moment
"Rest now," Xi Luo said as he stood to leave. "I'll be right outside. Call me if you need anything."
"Wait!" Liang Xiaoluo called out, stopping him mid-step.
He turned back swiftly. "Is there something else?"
"I... I've been here for a while. I don't want to burden you any longer," she hesitated.
"Stay as long as you need," he interrupted, seeing through her thoughts.
After spending a few days with her, Xi Luo realized how much he had come to understand her without even trying.
Unsettling News
Outside, Xi Luo found his butler, Laien, waiting for him. "Your Highness, having that woman here is dangerous. You're under constant surveillance from the royal family. Associating with an outsider like her could have serious consequences."
Laien's worry was palpable, but Xi Luo ignored his words. Instead, he took a deep breath as if preparing to make a monumental decision. "Contact him for me," he finally said.
"Him? Who?" Laien asked in confusion.
"Ye Tianlin," Xi Luo replied decisively.
A Chill in the Night
That evening, Liang Xiaoluo, weary of lying in bed, got up and wandered outside. The house was dark, and the silence suggested no one was home.
"Xi Luo? Laien?" she called softly, but no one answered.
She ventured into the garden and sat on the swing beneath the moonlit sky. The cool breeze sent a chill down her spine, making her shiver.
Just then, a warm coat was draped over her shoulders. Startled, she turned around and called out, "Xi Luo, you're back!"
But it wasn't Xi Luo. Under the moonlight, she saw the familiar, exhausted face of Ye Tianlin.
Her heart froze. "How did you find me here?"
Ye Tianlin, visibly worn from days of sleepless searching, didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse and trembling. "I finally found you."
A Bitter Reunion
Liang Xiaoluo pushed him away, her tears welling up again. "Why are you here? We have nothing to do with each other anymore."
"That's not true!" he retorted, his voice breaking with emotion. "You're my wife, Liang Xiaoluo. That's a fact that will never change."
"I'm not! I'm not your wife!" she shouted, covering her ears as if to block out his words.
Her resolve crumbled. She thought she had escaped him for good, but here he was again, breaking down the walls she had built.
An Unlikely Confession
As she turned to leave, she came face-to-face with Xi Luo, who stood nearby, his expression filled with guilt.
"Did you… tell him where I was?" she asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Xi Luo hesitated but nodded.
Liang Xiaoluo's eyes widened, and she let out a bitter laugh. "Of course. Of course, it was you. I'm such a fool to think anyone in this world could truly be on my side."
Xi Luo's heart clenched at her words. "I only wanted to help you," he said softly, though he knew it was too late.
Ye Tianlin stepped forward, his desperation mounting. "Liang Xiaoluo, come home with me. We can fix this."
"That's not my home," she replied coldly, her voice firm despite the pain in her chest. "It never was."
Ye Tianlin's hand froze mid-air as the words sank in, leaving the three of them engulfed in silence.