Chapter 178: The Grand Finale
He feared this might be their final conversation.
"No... stop talking! If you keep talking, you'll die! You'll die!" Liang Xiaoluo cried uncontrollably.
She was reminded of her sister, Liang Xiaomu, who had sacrificed herself years ago. On that fateful day, the two of them struggled against the unforgiving ocean. While Xiaoluo's instincts fought for survival, her sister had selflessly handed over the life jacket and was swallowed by the waves.
Liang Xiaoluo couldn't bear the thought of losing another person she loved. Not again—not Ye Tianlin. She pleaded with him to stop talking, to preserve his strength and cling to life.
"I... I just want to talk to you… now… because if I don't… I might…" Ye Tianlin's voice was faint, his strength fading.
Desperate to silence him, Liang Xiaoluo leaned in and kissed him, sealing his lips with hers. It was the only way she could think of to stop him from speaking, to keep his life from slipping away.
She pulled back and gazed into his eyes, her expression resolute. "Ye Tianlin, if you die, I will never forgive you. Never."
Ye Tianlin looked at her and smiled faintly, even as his strength ebbed away.
Five Years Later
At Dream River's bustling Bingyang shopping district, inside a high-end bar, two familiar figures sat in a VIP lounge. Shi Luo and Ye Tianqing clinked glasses, their laughter filling the room.
The steel doors of the bar swung open, and two strikingly similar figures—a tall man and a shorter boy—walked in. Despite their height difference, their expressions were uncannily alike.
Shi Luo and Ye Tianqing turned in unison, exchanging knowing smiles. It had been five years since the trio had last gathered like this.
"Well, well, Tianlin. Did you finally manage to drag your little rascal back from wherever he was hiding?" Shi Luo teased.
They had just been discussing Ye Tianlin's tardiness. Ye Tianqing had speculated that Tianlin was busy chasing after Ye Zeyu, his mischievous son, who often disappeared after school to play without a care.
Father and son had become infamous for their amusing quarrels.
"Hmph." Ye Tianlin scoffed, brushing past Shi Luo and Ye Tianqing. He flopped onto the sofa, ignoring their jabs, then turned to the boy who bore his likeness. "Ye Zeyu, you'd better explain where you were after school. Otherwise, you're in for it."
Shi Luo leaned back with a smirk, enjoying the show.
Ye Zeyu tilted his head defiantly. "Hmph… Dad, I'm not a kid anymore. I need my own space. How am I supposed to have any street cred if you keep chauffeuring me to and from school?"
"Atta boy!" Shi Luo cheered, giving a thumbs-up. "Well said, Zeyu!"
Zeyu turned, his cool gaze fixed on Shi Luo. "Uncle Shi Luo, maybe you should worry about yourself instead of meddling in my family drama."
"Hey!" Shi Luo's jaw dropped. "Zeyu, you don't call me 'Uncle'? You just use my name? Kids these days! Just like your old man—no manners. Like father, like son!"
Shi Luo pouted dramatically. "I'm a king now, for heaven's sake! Can't I get a little respect?"
Ignoring Shi Luo's grumbling, Ye Tianlin continued lecturing Zeyu, much to the boy's exasperation. Zeyu had heard from his mother that his father was usually a man of few words. Yet here he was, delivering an endless monologue.
Dad, are you trolling me?
"Tianlin, give the kid a break," Ye Tianqing intervened, unable to suppress a chuckle. "He's just a child."
Reluctantly, Ye Tianlin let the matter drop. Deep down, he was proud of Zeyu's lively personality. A happy, carefree childhood was something every child deserved.
"By the way, where's Xiaoluo? Isn't she coming?" Shi Luo asked, noticing her absence.
Ye Tianlin shot him a look. "Shi Luo, five years have passed, and you're still not over her?"
"Of course not!" Shi Luo replied cheekily. "I'm still waiting for the day you mess up so I can step in and take your place."
"Not a chance!" came two voices in unison.
Ye Tianlin and Ye Zeyu spoke simultaneously, their rare display of father-son unity drawing laughter from the room.
The door creaked open, and everyone turned toward the entrance.
There stood Liang Xiaoluo, her pregnant belly prominently visible as she walked in.
"Xiaoluo, I told you to stay home today! What if something happens to the baby?" Ye Tianlin hurried to her side, supporting her as she walked.
"It's been so long since I've seen Shi Luo and Tianqing," she said with a smile.
Indeed, it had been nearly five years.
She couldn't forget that fateful day when Ye Tianlin had taken a bullet for her. At that moment, she had thought her world was ending. The fear of losing the man she loved was overwhelming.
Thankfully, the hospital had been close, and they had reached it just in time. The bullet had missed any vital organs, and Ye Tianlin had survived.
As for Hua Lin, the reality of what she had done had shattered her mind. She was left a hollow shell, no longer recognizing anyone. Years of treatment had restored some of her mental clarity, but the weight of her crimes meant she would spend the rest of her life in prison.
Life had moved on since that harrowing day. Shi Luo had returned to England, thwarted his brother's schemes, and ascended to the throne. Ye Tianqing had parted ways with Yan Ruoxi after signing the divorce papers, only to discover her terminal illness. He had stayed by her side until the end and then disappeared from public life, later re-emerging as Shi Luo's secretary.
As for Ye Tianlin and Liang Xiaoluo, their lives had settled into a peaceful rhythm. Xiaoluo had given birth to Zeyu, and the Ye family empire had flourished under Tianlin's leadership, becoming a global powerhouse.
On the drive home, Ye Tianlin held Liang Xiaoluo close, his hand gently resting on her rounded belly.
"Wife," he murmured, "it won't be long before our second child is here. Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"
"I hope it's a girl—just as beautiful as you," he said, his voice filled with tenderness.
"You and your sweet talk…" Liang Xiaoluo laughed, though her cheeks flushed with warmth.
"It's not sweet talk—it's the truth," Ye Tianlin replied, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I only have eyes for you, always."
And with those words, their story of love, resilience, and redemption came to a close.
(The End)