Nangong Yehen's gaze deepened, a trace of tenderness flickering through it. "I want to protect her."
"For a lifetime?"
"Yeah, a lifetime."
Ouyang Ruobing, standing outside the door, heard his words, and her heart felt like it was pricked by a needle.
He wanted to protect Chu Lingzhi for a lifetime—this meant he would only love Chu Lingzhi for his entire life.
She was injured, and he stayed by her side the whole time.
Ouyang Ruobing remembered that in college, when she scraped her knee in gym class and later ran a high fever into unconsciousness, he hadn't even kept vigil by her bedside.
She smiled bitterly. People said first love was impulsive and naive.
Other loves were sincere and moving.
Nangong Yehen's feelings for Chu Lingzhi were exactly that—sincere.
She had originally wanted to go in and see Chu Lingzhi, but after hearing Nangong Yehen's words, she felt that this wasn't the right time for her to enter.
This space belonged to their family of four.
Ouyang Ruobing turned and left. Nangong Yichen raised an eyebrow slightly, twisting his head to glance thoughtfully outside the room.
Ouyang Ruobing waited for them in the living room, where a servant served her tea.
Feeling bored, she tried to strike up a conversation with Huo Luan.
"How's your injury?"
Huo Luan replied, "Completely healed!"
Chu Lingzhi's treatment had been spot-on. She ground the Chinese herbs she bought into a powder and applied it to the wound; within a few days, the wound had scabbed over.
Ouyang Ruobing glanced upstairs and chuckled lightly. "Nangong is really worried about Lingzhi."
"The lady is kind and warm-hearted, treats the master well, and now that she's injured, it's only natural for the master to worry."
Ouyang Ruobing's heart sank. Lady?
Huo Luan referred to Chu Lingzhi as "the lady." It seemed Nangong Yehen had truly committed to her for life.
She had genuinely wished for Nangong Yehen's happiness, but now that he was happy with another woman, her heart still ached.
Footsteps came from upstairs. Ouyang Ruobing was very familiar with that sound.
She looked up abruptly as Nangong Yehen's tall, straight figure descended the stairs.
When he saw her, his eyes instantly turned cold and indifferent.
Ouyang Ruobing stood up and asked with a smile, "How's Lingzhi's injury?"
Actually, she had already heard his words earlier—she had a mild concussion.
If she didn't ask, she wouldn't know how to start a conversation.
Nangong Yehen curled his lips into a mocking sneer. "You came to see her?"
"I went to pick up Yichen from school, and he said Lingzhi was injured. I was worried about her."
Nangong Yehen's cold gaze swept over her. "Really worried about her, or hoping she'd die soon?"
Ouyang Ruobing's face instantly turned pale at his words, her heart feeling as if it had been viciously pierced by a cold sword, dripping blood and aching unbearably.
"Nangong, do you have to be like this?"
She looked at him in pain. "In your eyes, am I really that cruel of a woman?"
Nangong Yehen sneered. "But you're not a good woman either."
"Even if I'm not a good woman, I wouldn't be vicious enough to wish for my friend's death."
Nangong Yehen's smile grew even more sardonic. "Friend? You want my woman to be your friend?"
"I also consider you a friend. Why do you have to reject me like this and hurt my heart?" Ouyang Ruobing could hear her own heart bleeding.
"It seems Miss Ouyang doesn't understand me at all. Aside from being my woman, I rarely befriend women."
Ouyang Ruobing smiled bitterly, her expression filled with agony. If only time could turn back, she would choose to remain his woman forever.
Now, it was too late. She regretted it.
She hadn't realized that the moment she turned away, by the time she looked back, everything had changed.
Some people, once she turned her back, would never belong to her again.