Shen Heyu looked at Pei Yansi with intense emotion, realizing after yesterday’s ordeal that Pei Yansi had indeed changed.
She had thought about accepting Pei Yansi again, but with her daughter kidnapped, Shen Heyu was powerless and could only watch as she and Pei Yansi missed their chance.
"Pei Yansi, you’re a smart man, I’ve made myself very clear, can’t you understand? Let’s leave the past behind, let’s forgive yourself and me as well."
"Moreover, Chen Lingmeng loves you so much, she grew up with you as childhood sweethearts, and she has only ever had eyes for you. Now the marriage between the two of you is imminent. If you turn back to me now and create a mess, you’re hurting even more people."
When Shen Heyu said these words, her voice trembled, and she had to clench her fists slightly to support herself from revealing her fragility in front of Pei Yansi.
Pei Yansi’s gaze was fixated on Shen Heyu, hanging on every word, every letter she had just uttered.
But he did not want to believe; he still wanted to deceive himself a while longer.
"I just want one more chance."
"There’s no such thing as a pill for regret in this world. If I’m truly so important to you, weren’t the past three years long enough for you to realize how much I mean to you, enough for you to change?"
"But Pei Yansi, you had so much time, so many chances over the past three years, and yet you’ve disappointed me time and again. Now that I’ve finally mustered the courage to leave you, why do you have to disturb my heart?" Shen Heyu’s voice rose sharply for a moment.
Thinking of Yuexue now, not knowing where she was being held, whether she had been hit, whether she had eaten well, her heart was in turmoil.
The man before her was Yuexue’s biological father; she should have told him about Yuexue being kidnapped immediately, but now Shen Heyu couldn’t bring herself to speak to him.
"Shen Heyu." Pei Yansi’s voice softened a great deal as he tenderly called out her name.
"Don’t look at me like that, you just need to tell me, did you understand what I’ve said to you?" Shen Heyu turned away, not wanting to look into Pei Yansi’s eyes any longer.
His deep, affectionate gaze made one’s heart sour and soft, straining Shen Heyu’s resolve to continue speaking such harsh words.
"Have you completely denied me in your heart?" Pei Yansi hadn’t given up yet; he still wanted to struggle.
Shen Heyu lowered her eyelashes, and a touch of sadness surfaced in her dim gaze; her heart felt as if it had been electrified, a numb pain spreading through it.
Shen Heyu’s voice trembled in reply, "Yes, it’s impossible between us now. Please prepare well for your marriage with Chen Lingmeng, and don’t do things that could be misunderstood by others."
"Even if I were to die in front of you for your sake, would you still absolutely refuse to give me another chance?" Pei Yansi persisted in asking.
This time Shen Heyu did not answer but turned to look at Pei Yansi, whose expression was already desperate.
He repeatedly confirmed Shen Heyu’s intentions, over and over, and this started to shake Shen Heyu’s own heart.
"Yes. Are you satisfied now? I hope from now on we can be two parallel lines, never intersecting again. Please disappear from my world completely; do not disturb my peaceful life." As she spoke these words, Shen Heyu felt as though a rusty knife had been plunged into her heart.
Pei Yansi tugged at his lips, wanting to smile, but found he couldn’t, and in the end, could only look at Shen Heyu with a sorrowful gaze, powerless.
"If that’s what you want, I’ll grant your wish."
Shen Heyu smiled faintly. She didn’t know with what kind of mood the smile appeared, but in that instant, she felt a huge void in her heart.
She had actually said thank you to Pei Yansi. How strange it felt.
"Please take good care of your injury and recover soon, so that you can complete the wedding with Chen Lingmeng as scheduled. Lu Yi and I are still waiting to attend your wedding banquet," Shen Heyu smiled faintly again.
Pei Yansi managed a weak smile in return, and in that moment, he felt as if the whole world was sinking and collapsing.
"Then I won’t disturb you anymore, goodbye."
Shen Heyu turned to open the door of the hospital room and just as she was about to step out, she froze. Chen Wenzhou was actually standing at the entrance of the hospital room, listening to her conversation with Pei Yansi.
Shen Heyu rapidly concealed the sorrowful expression on her face, cast a wary glance at the man Chen Wenzhou, and then stepped out of the hospital room, quickly shutting the door behind her.
"Are you satisfied now?" Shen Heyu looked coldly at Chen Wenzhou.
"Just this is not enough to fully satisfy me," Chen Wenzhou was insatiable.
"I’ve already made things clear to him. The rest doesn’t concern me. All I want now is for you to immediately return Yuexue to me," Shen Heyu clenched her fists as she stared down the culprit behind her daughter’s kidnapping.
"You’ve indeed made things clear to him, but whether he can accept it is another matter entirely. I will return your daughter to you once their marriage is secure," he insisted.
Shen Heyu raised her hand to slap him, but Chen Wenzhou caught Shen Heyu’s wrist.
Chen Wenzhou smiled dangerously at Shen Heyu, his grip tightening upon her wrist as she winced slightly from the pain. Still, she only stared back at him with even greater wariness.
"I kidnapped your precious daughter, so it’s only natural for you to call me a bastard," Chen Wenzhou shamelessly accepted Shen Heyu’s angry curse.
"You better make sure she’s unharmed, or if Pei Yan finds out about this, your Chen Family can forget about having any good days ahead," Shen Heyu threatened Chen Wenzhou.
Although she knew such a threat was like scratching an itch through a boot for Chen Wenzhou, essentially ineffective.
Chen Wenzhou smirked hypocritically, releasing the grip on Shen Heyu’s wrist, and nodded perfunctorily, "Rest assured, I will take good care of your daughter. On the day Pei Yan marries Lingmeng, she can still be the most beautiful flower girl."
Shen Heyu let out a cold laugh. She wouldn’t agree to let her daughter be a flower girl at the wedding of Pei Yan and Chen Lingmeng.
"I came today to have a word with Pei Yan. If Miss Shen has any other business, please feel free to leave," Chen Wenzhou gestured for her to leave on her own accord.
Shen Heyu turned and walked away, taking out her mobile phone to call Lu Yi. When she had received Chen Wenzhou’s threatening call earlier, Lu Yi had been present.
He had gone to Pei Yan to say some heartless words as Chen Wenzhou had requested, while Lu Yi was investigating Yuexue’s abduction. She wondered what information he had uncovered so far.
Shen Heyu and Lu Yi agreed to meet at the coffee shop diagonal to the hotel.
"Did you find anything?"