Chapter 117: Struggling, I Won't Leave
She wanted to chase after him. She wanted to tell him that no matter what he became, she would never leave him.
As Liang Xiaoluo was about to take a step forward, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Xiaoluo, long time no see..."
The chill that ran down her spine was instantaneous. That voice—so familiar. Her body reacted instinctively as she turned sharply, only to see him. Nan Shaojie!
He looked exhausted, as if he had just emerged from some life-or-death ordeal. His face bore scars that had yet to fully heal.
"Xiaoluo!" Nan Shaojie's voice was hoarse as he called her name.
How long had it been since he'd last seen her? Every night, he would wake up from his dreams, tormented by the thought that Xiaoluo no longer belonged to him.
His heart ached. Why is it that people only learn the meaning of regret after it's too late?
Liang Xiaoluo suppressed the surge of emotions rising within her, keeping her voice cold and distant. "You're injured?"
His face was marred by wounds, and she suspected his body was no better off.
In the dark world he lived in, such injuries were unavoidable.
Nan Shaojie caught the hint of concern in her tone, and even though it was masked by coolness, it warmed his heart.
He forced a smile. "It's been so long since I last saw you, and you look thinner."
What he didn't tell her was that he had narrowly escaped death just the night before. Upon returning to the country, he had been ambushed and nearly assassinated.
When the danger finally passed, the only person he wanted to see was her. Every time he survived, she was his reason to keep going.
In the past, he had often stood in the shadows, secretly watching her from afar like a vampire unable to step into the light. He never let her know he was there.
Now, after hearing about her miscarriage, about her departure from the Ye family, and everything she had endured, he couldn't wait any longer. Even if it meant putting himself at risk, he had to see her.
Liang Xiaoluo's heart trembled. No matter how much time had passed, no matter how resolute she wanted to be, she couldn't deny that she had once loved this man. It was impossible to feel nothing at all.
But whatever feelings remained, they were overshadowed by resignation.
"We shouldn't see each other again," she said softly.
She turned to leave, knowing that continuing to meet would only hurt them both.
"Xiaoluo!" Nan Shaojie crossed the distance in three swift strides, pulling her into his arms.
He had thought about giving her up. But every time he heard about her suffering, he couldn't stand it. She had always been his treasure, the one he protected with all his heart. How could he leave her in the hands of someone like Ye Tianlin, who had caused her so much pain?
"Nan Shaojie, let go of me!" she shouted, struggling against his hold.
In the scuffle, her arm hit his abdomen. He groaned, his forehead breaking into a cold sweat. His arms loosened their grip as he fell to one knee.
"Ah!" A low cry escaped him.
Startled, Liang Xiaoluo turned back just as she was about to flee. Seeing him kneeling on the ground, she rushed forward in alarm. "What's wrong? Let me see!"
She moved to examine him.
Nan Shaojie's face was pale, and she noticed the faint trace of blood near his abdomen.
"Nan Shaojie!" she exclaimed, quickly tearing his shirt open. What she saw left her stunned.
His abdomen bore a gunshot wound, hastily bandaged.
Her voice trembled. "Do you even realize how serious this is? You could die!"
Her frustration boiled over. How could he treat his life so carelessly?
In contrast, she had become deeply protective of her own life after her near-death experience.
Seeing her genuine worry, Nan Shaojie smiled weakly. Even in pain, he felt a strange sense of happiness.
"Come on, let's get you to the medical center," she said.
"No," he refused through gritted teeth. He couldn't risk exposing his identity.
Liang Xiaoluo could see his stubbornness and sighed. "Fine. Stay here and wait for me."
She ran off to the campus medical center. The staff there were familiar with her, as she had always been a diligent student. When she requested supplies, they handed them over without hesitation.
Back at the bench, Nan Shaojie watched her rush back toward him, a small smile tugging at his lips. She still cared. If she didn't, why would she go through all this trouble?
Liang Xiaoluo knelt down beside him and began tending to his wound with practiced ease. Though she had never officially worked as a doctor, her medical studies had prepared her for moments like this.
"You're still as skilled as ever," Nan Shaojie murmured, watching her with admiration.
She didn't reply, focused on her task. These memories—her ambitions to become a doctor—were from a life she no longer lived.
Once, she had dreamed of saving lives, inspired by her mother's tragic death. If only the surgeon who operated on her mother had been more skilled, her mother might have survived. That single failure had robbed Liang Xiaoluo of her mother and driven her to pursue medicine.
But life had other plans. Now, she was just a shadow of that ambitious young woman.
"Take better care of yourself," she said once the bandages were secure.
"Xiaoluo..." He reached for her hand, his voice soft. "Stay with me a while longer."
Hesitating, she eventually agreed, sitting beside him by the lake.
"Do you remember?" he asked, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "We used to sit here on weekends, watching the water for hours. Those were the best days of my life."
She didn't respond.
"I'll never forget them," he continued. "And now, you're about to graduate. Time flies, doesn't it?"
His tone grew somber. Would things have been different if Ye Tianlin hadn't appeared?
"Time to go," she said abruptly, cutting off his reverie.
As she stood, his voice rang out behind her.
"Xiaoluo, can't we go back to how things were?" he pleaded. "Just one word from you, and I'll give up everything for you. Please... come back to me."
"Sorry," a cold voice interrupted.
Ye Tianlin had appeared, wrapping an arm possessively around Liang Xiaoluo's shoulders. His eyes gleamed with defiance. "She's mine now. If you're looking for a woman, try elsewhere."
Nan Shaojie froze, his fists clenching. Ye Tianlin's presence ignited all the pent-up hostility within him.
"Tianlin, stop!" Liang Xiaoluo said, startled.
"Ye Tianlin, you've hurt her enough already!" Nan Shaojie snarled.
Ye Tianlin smirked. "And you think you're better? A gangster prince—what can you possibly give her?"
The tension between them crackled, both men refusing to back down.
"Enough," Liang Xiaoluo said firmly, stepping between them. Her voice was calm but resolute. "Nan Shaojie, leave. We shouldn't see each other anymore."