Chapter 137: Endless Suffering
Liang Xiaoluo froze, her gaze fixed on Yan Ruoxi's pale face. "Does Big Brother know about this?" she asked cautiously.
Yan Ruoxi's eyes dimmed as she avoided the question, confirming Liang Xiaoluo's worst suspicions.
Liang Xiaoluo hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking. "We need to go to the hospital. You can't keep ignoring this."
Yan Ruoxi grasped Liang Xiaoluo's hand firmly. "Xiaoluo, please promise me—you won't tell your brother about my condition. Promise me."
Liang Xiaoluo stayed silent.
"If you don't agree, I won't go to the hospital," Yan Ruoxi said, her tone resolute.
Unable to dissuade her, Liang Xiaoluo reluctantly nodded. Only then did Yan Ruoxi agree to see the doctor. She seemed oddly at peace as they headed to the hospital. Her heart calmed as she realized she wouldn't be facing this alone, at least for now. If she were to die, at least someone would be there with her.
Standing by Yan Ruoxi's side, Liang Xiaoluo listened as the doctor explained the dire situation. The diagnosis was clear—Yan Ruoxi's heart condition had reached its final stages. She had three months to live at most, and there was no guarantee she'd survive that long.
Liang Xiaoluo's eyes welled with tears as she absorbed the painful truth. Every treatment, every procedure Yan Ruoxi had undergone must have been excruciating. How had she endured this alone?
She suddenly felt so small. Compared to Yan Ruoxi's silent suffering, her own pain seemed trivial.
"It's nothing serious. Let's go." Yan Ruoxi forced a lighthearted tone, brushing off the severity of her condition.
Liang Xiaoluo grabbed her hand. "Sister-in-law, why won't you tell Big Brother? At least let him—"
Yan Ruoxi's forced smile disappeared. Her eyes darkened as she interrupted, "There's no point. We… will never be more than we are."
She looked away, her voice tinged with bitterness. Their marriage had always been a business arrangement, devoid of love.
He had never known about her feelings for him. For years, she had silently loved him, but he remained oblivious.
If she told him now, it would only make him feel guilty—perhaps pity her. But she didn't want his guilt or his pity.
"Let's leave. I hate the smell of hospitals." Yan Ruoxi's smile returned, though it didn't reach her eyes. She tugged on Liang Xiaoluo's hand, urging her out of the sterile confines of the hospital.
Liang Xiaoluo's steps were heavy as lead, each one dragging her down. She followed Yan Ruoxi silently, her heart burdened by the weight of a secret she wasn't sure she could keep.
As they turned a corner, fate seemed to mock them. They ran into Ye Tianqing, who was walking toward them.
"Ruoxi, Xiaoluo," he called out, surprised.
Yan Ruoxi froze, her body trembling as panic flared in her chest. The secret she had tried so hard to keep seemed to hover on the edge of exposure.
Liang Xiaoluo noticed Yan Ruoxi's pale face and clenched her fists. The truth hovered on her lips. She couldn't keep lying to Ye Tianqing—this was too cruel to Yan Ruoxi. Summoning her courage, she began, "Big Brother, actually, Sister-in-law—"
"I wasn't feeling well and came to see the doctor," Yan Ruoxi interjected quickly, cutting Liang Xiaoluo off. Her hand tightened around Liang Xiaoluo's in a silent plea. "But I must have taken a wrong turn. Silly me."
Ye Tianqing frowned. "You're not feeling well? Where? Why didn't you tell me? I'll come with you."
"No, no need," Yan Ruoxi said, forcing a smile. "Xiaoluo is with me. You should go check on Grandpa instead."
Liang Xiaoluo felt Yan Ruoxi's desperate grip on her arm. The plea in her sister-in-law's eyes was impossible to ignore.
She relented with a heavy heart. "Big Brother, I'll stay with Sister-in-law. Don't worry."
Ye Tianqing's furrowed brow relaxed slightly. "Alright. But if anything happens, you need to tell me immediately."
Yan Ruoxi's face remained calm, but Liang Xiaoluo could see the turmoil in her eyes. She nodded lightly. "Go on, Tianqing. Don't keep Grandpa waiting."
Ye Tianqing hesitated, glancing back at them several times as he walked away, a lingering sense of unease shadowing his departure.
After leaving the hospital, the two women strolled through a quiet park. The sun's rays filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow that did little to lift the heavy atmosphere between them.
"I'm sorry," Yan Ruoxi finally said, breaking the silence.
"Sister-in-law," Liang Xiaoluo murmured, her voice filled with emotion.
Yan Ruoxi raised her head, her smile tinged with sadness. "You must be wondering why I won't tell Tianqing."
Liang Xiaoluo said nothing, but her expression confirmed it.
Yan Ruoxi's gaze drifted to the distant hills. "It's because… ours was never a real marriage. It was just a business arrangement."
Liang Xiaoluo's eyes widened. The term "business marriage" wasn't foreign to her, but she had never imagined it applied to her seemingly perfect brother and sister-in-law.
"I don't want him to feel guilty for me," Yan Ruoxi continued, her voice soft. "When I leave, I want it to be without burdening him with guilt or pity."
"But—" Liang Xiaoluo began, remembering the genuine concern in Ye Tianqing's eyes when he saw Yan Ruoxi earlier. It hadn't seemed like an act.
Yan Ruoxi cut her off with a bitter smile. "It doesn't matter. His heart doesn't belong to me."
"What do you mean?" Liang Xiaoluo's voice trembled with unease.
Yan Ruoxi's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she met Liang Xiaoluo's gaze. "His heart belongs to you."
Liang Xiaoluo felt as though she'd been struck by lightning. Her hands shook as she stepped back. "Sister-in-law, don't joke about something like this. I… I have nothing to do with Big Brother!"
"I know," Yan Ruoxi said, her voice calm yet sorrowful. "But that doesn't change how he feels."
Liang Xiaoluo's mind spun. The idea of being the cause of Yan Ruoxi's pain was unbearable.
Yan Ruoxi reached out and gently grasped her hands. "Xiaoluo, this isn't your fault. I've never blamed you. But… when I'm gone, I hope you can stay by his side. He'll need someone like you."
"Sister-in-law…" Liang Xiaoluo whispered, horrified.
Yan Ruoxi smiled faintly. "Promise me. Take care of him when I'm gone."
Liang Xiaoluo shook her head furiously, tears spilling over. "No, I can't. I love Tianlin. I can't betray him."
Yan Ruoxi's smile faded, replaced by quiet resignation. "I just hope you'll reconsider when the time comes."