Chapter 129: The Marriage Certificate
After freshening up and changing into a new outfit, Liang Xiaoluo stood composed, as if nothing had happened. She was determined to keep her pain hidden, not wanting to add to Ye Tianlin's worries.
"Ready to go now?" she asked softly, her voice steady but her heart still fragile.
Xiluo, standing nearby, nodded, though his sharp eyes lingered on her longer than necessary. "Let's go," he said.
Just as they were about to leave, Liang Xiaoluo hesitated, reaching out to stop him. "Wait," she said, her voice tinged with hesitation.
"Is there something else?" Xiluo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Liang Xiaoluo looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Xiluo, I need to ask you for a favor."
"Anything," he replied instinctively, the words escaping before he could think. For reasons he couldn't explain, this woman had a way of commanding his willingness, his attention, and his loyalty.
"Don't tell Tianlin about what happened today," she said quietly, her gaze earnest.
Xiluo froze, disbelief flashing across his face. "Why? He deserves to know! He's the one who should protect you! He should know the pain you've suffered because of him!"
Liang Xiaoluo gripped his arm tightly, her voice firm despite its softness. "Please, Xiluo. I don't want him to worry. I don't want him to carry more burdens."
Xiluo exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Liang Xiaoluo, you're the kind of woman who makes people angry enough to cry," he muttered. But as he looked at her imploring eyes, his resolve softened. "Fine. I won't tell him. But I'm warning you—if anything like this happens again, I'll make sure he knows everything."
"Thank you," Liang Xiaoluo said, her relief evident in her smile.
The two continued their walk in relative silence until they reached the gates of the civil registry office. Xiluo glanced at the large characters overhead, his expression unreadable. "Here? The civil registry?" he asked.
Liang Xiaoluo nodded, her eyes lighting up with a rare spark of happiness. "Tianlin said we'd get our marriage certificate today."
Her words hit Xiluo like a punch to the gut. His chest tightened as if the air around him had thickened. He struggled to form a coherent thought, let alone speak.
"You're... getting married?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Liang Xiaoluo said, her tone dreamy. "He said he wants us to grow old together. He promised me a lifetime."
Xiluo clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. He didn't understand why this news unsettled him so deeply. He had no right to feel this way. Yet, watching her happiness, a happiness he couldn't be a part of, was unbearable.
"I see," he finally said, his voice steady but devoid of emotion.
"Thank you for walking me here, Xiluo," Liang Xiaoluo said gently. "If you're busy, you don't need to wait with me."
Xiluo forced a smile. "I'll stay. Just to make sure you're safe."
The hours ticked by. Noon turned to afternoon, and the sun began its descent. The once-bustling office began to quiet, the staff preparing to close for the day.
"Are you sure he's coming?" Xiluo asked, his patience thin.
Liang Xiaoluo's confidence wavered. Her grip on her phone tightened as she repeatedly dialed Ye Tianlin's number. Each unanswered call chipped away at her calm. "Something must have happened to him," she murmured, tears brimming in her eyes. "Tianlin wouldn't just abandon me like this."
Xiluo placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Xiaoluo. If something's wrong, we'll figure it out together."
Just as Xiluo was about to speak further, a cold, commanding voice cut through the air like a blade. "Let go of her."
Both Liang Xiaoluo and Xiluo turned toward the voice. Ye Tianlin stood a few feet away, his disheveled appearance doing little to mask the anger in his eyes.
"Tianlin!" Liang Xiaoluo exclaimed, rushing toward him. She inspected him frantically. "Are you hurt? What happened? Why didn't you answer my calls?"
Ye Tianlin ignored her questions, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiluo. "Didn't I warn you to stay away from her?" he growled, stepping forward and grabbing Xiluo by the collar. "Or do you think I don't mean what I say?"
Xiluo shoved Ye Tianlin's hands away with surprising force. "And who are you to tell me what to do?" he retorted. "You think being her 'man' gives you the right to control everyone around her? Where were you when she needed you today?"
"Xiluo, stop!" Liang Xiaoluo pleaded, stepping between the two men. "This is all a misunderstanding!"
"Is it?" Ye Tianlin's voice was cold as he glared at Xiluo. His jaw tightened, his frustration palpable.
"Yes, it is!" Liang Xiaoluo insisted, grabbing Ye Tianlin's arm. "Xiluo was just keeping me company while I waited for you. That's all."
Ye Tianlin's gaze softened, but only slightly. "Get in the car," he said curtly.
"Tianlin, I—"
"I said, get in the car," he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Liang Xiaoluo hesitated, glancing at Xiluo, who gave her a faint smile. "Go. You've been waiting for him, haven't you?"
Liang Xiaoluo nodded reluctantly and turned toward Ye Tianlin's car. As she climbed in, she cast one last look at Xiluo.
Ye Tianlin remained rooted, watching Xiluo with a warning in his eyes. Without another word, he got into the car and drove off, leaving Xiluo standing alone on the empty street.
Later that night
As the car pulled into the Ye family estate, Liang Xiaoluo reached out to touch Ye Tianlin's arm. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Ye Tianlin didn't respond immediately. Finally, he sighed, his voice low. "You're the only one I can't stay mad at. But don't ever let him near you again."
Liang Xiaoluo nodded, hoping the day's events would soon fade into memory.