Chapter 178 - 177: Making Things Completely Clear

On the contrary, Yang Bingyu actually felt a wave of relief.

The three of them should have cleared the air a long time ago. Staying entangled like this was simply unfair to everyone involved.

Ye Xuan hadn’t expected Yang Bingyu to know that he was taking Lin Aoxue back to Jingcheng. He had specifically instructed the others to keep this a secret from her.

"How did you find out? Did Yang Tao tell you?" Ye Xuan asked in a deep voice, frowning slightly.

Yang Bingyu shook her head gently, denying his guess.

"No, I found out by overhearing White Snake, Yu Ling, and the others talking," she said. "Don’t worry, I didn’t mean anything by bringing this up; I just wanted to confirm it."

As if afraid Ye Xuan would misunderstand, she had hurriedly added the explanation.

Beneath the blanket, Ye Xuan’s hands involuntarily clenched into fists, and his lips pressed into a thin line. When had things between him and Yang Bingyu become so constrained and unnatural? She used to be so carefree and innocent in front of him. She had never been this cautious before.

Afraid that she would misinterpret his intentions again, Ye Xuan hesitated for a moment before explaining, "Bingyu, I don’t mean to hide from you. I just felt that my leaving with Lin Aoxue might make things easier for you.

"I don’t want to hurt you anymore. You’ve already suffered enough because of me."

"It’s fine. Even if you were intentionally hiding from me, it’s fine." Hearing his words, Yang Bingyu offered a smile, though Ye Xuan could clearly see how forced it was.

"I..." Ye Xuan wanted to say more, but he couldn’t organize his thoughts.

Yang Bingyu stared straight at him, her thoughts unreadable. The hospital room instantly fell into a dead silence.

"Bingyu, I..."

"Ye Xuan, actually..."

About two or three minutes later, they broke the silence at the exact same time in a surprising display of tacit understanding.

"What did you want to say? You go first." Ye Xuan scratched the back of his head, gesturing for her to take the floor.

Yang Bingyu took a deep look at him, drew in a long breath, and continued.

"What I want to say is... let’s end things between us today.

"I don’t want to keep dragging this out. Before, I could at least use the baby as an excuse to force you to stay by my side.

"Now that my only bargaining chip is gone, I have even less of a right to ask you to stay.

"Since you’ve already decided to take Lin Aoxue back to Jingcheng, let’s clear the air between us once and for all."

Ye Xuan hadn’t expected her to say this, and a strange feeling swelled in his chest. For some reason, he actually felt a trace of reluctance to let her go. But reason told him that he had to make a clean break with her today.

"Alright, say whatever you need to say," he replied in a muffled voice, his brows furrowed.

"Before that, can you answer one question?" she asked, looking deeply into his eyes with absolute seriousness.

Ye Xuan nodded his consent.

"I want to know... from the very beginning until now, have you ever liked me? Even if it was just for a single second."

The question stumped Ye Xuan once again. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about it, but every time, he failed to find an answer. To be more precise, he hadn’t dared to seek the answer.

According to Ye Xuan’s principles and worldview, a man had to be loyal to the end, bearing his responsibilities with honor. Since he had already promised Lin Aoxue that he would treat her well and love her for the rest of his life, he shouldn’t develop feelings for another woman, let alone remain entangled with one.

Even if the answer was yes, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

"Once we part ways this time, we might never see each other again in this lifetime. Just tell me the truth," Yang Bingyu urged bitterly, seeing his internal struggle.

Ye Xuan let out a helpless sigh. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke.

"To say I haven’t felt anything for you at all... that would be impossible.

"After all, you are such an outstanding woman.

"But what does it matter if I like you? I can’t choose both you and Lin Aoxue at the same time.

"Between the two of you, I’m destined to let one down."

Hearing these words, Yang Bingyu felt a mix of joy and sorrow. She was happy to know that her feelings hadn’t been entirely unrequited, but heartbroken that he had ultimately chosen Lin Aoxue.

"You know as well as I do that we can’t always control matters of the heart," Ye Xuan continued. "I met Xue’er first, and we even shared a marriage. After spending so many years together day and night, that kind of bond isn’t something I can just discard.

"Besides, as a man, I cannot abandon her.

"So, Bingyu... I’m truly sorry that I can’t return your feelings.

"You really are a wonderful woman, and I know that one day, you’ll find someone who will cherish and love you the way you deserve."

Since things had already reached this point, Ye Xuan stopped holding back and laid everything out on the table. There were simply too many unresolved issues between them, and their relationship had fractured long ago. If they stayed together, they would inevitably clash over these very things in the future.

They just weren’t meant for each other.

"It’s fine. It’s really fine. You don’t have to apologize," Yang Bingyu said, shaking her head vigorously, though her voice carried a hint of a sob. "Loving you was my own choice. You have every right to respond to it or not.

"You don’t need to feel sorry or guilty for not being able to return it."

Her eyes were red, tears swimming in them. Seeing her like this caused Ye Xuan’s heart to ache terribly. Had this been the past, he would have pulled her into his arms and comforted her gently. But now, he couldn’t do that anymore. Maintaining a distance between them was the only way to protect her.

"Then... I wish you and Lin Aoxue a long and happy life together." Fighting back her heartache and reluctance, Yang Bingyu offered this final blessing. This time, she truly meant it.

"Silly girl, you have to be happy too." A dull ache spread through Ye Xuan’s chest, his hands clenching into tight fists beneath the covers.

In truth, he wanted nothing more than to be with her and return her affection. But logic dictated that he couldn’t. The best thing they could do was keep their distance and wish each other well.

Right at that moment, the door to the hospital room was pushed open again. Lin Aoxue and Yu Ling walked in, each carrying a food container.

The instant she saw Yang Bingyu, Lin Aoxue’s face fell.