Chapter 75: 3 Months

Exhausted from crying, Ye Xuan composed himself and finally sat up on the sofa.

The sky had still been bright when he arrived, but now, the world outside the window had grown dim. Looking at the countless lit windows in the distance, for the first time in his life, he truly felt homeless.

Just as he was about to leave, a sudden noise came from the doorway. A moment later, Lin Aoxue pushed the door open and walked in.

At first, she didn’t notice him. When she flicked on the lights, his presence gave her a massive fright. Her expression instantly turned foul, and she glared at him coldly. "Why are you here?"

Like a child caught making a mistake, Ye Xuan sat on the sofa looking profoundly uneasy, not knowing what to do with his hands or feet.

"Xue’er, I... I... Are you going to sell this house?" he stammered after a long, awkward pause, looking at her with trepidation.

"We’re already divorced anyway. Why would I keep it instead of selling it?" Lin Aoxue couldn’t even be bothered to give him a second glance. She walked straight into the bedroom to search for whatever she had come for. If she had known he was here, she wouldn’t have come today.

Watching her rummage through the cabinets and drawers, Ye Xuan rubbed his hands together. He wanted to help but feared upsetting her further, so he stood in the living room and called out, "What are you looking for? Tell me, I’ll help you find it."

"My wedding ring," Lin Aoxue tossed the words out without even lifting her head.

Ye Xuan froze. Although they hadn’t held a wedding ceremony when they got married, they did have rings. It was just that on the very day they bought them, Lin Aoxue had tossed hers aside and never worn it once.

They were divorced, the house was sold, and now, he wondered if she was really going to throw away the last remaining thing that tied them together. He thought she was being far too heartless.

"Xue’er, do we really have to do this?" Ye Xuan looked at her with an agonized expression, his heart filled with overwhelming helplessness and reluctance to let go.

Hearing this, Lin Aoxue paused her rummaging. Her voice was flat as she replied, "Then tell me, what exactly should we do? You get married to Yang Bingyu, and I continue to stay entangled with you on the side?

"You’re being a little too optimistic, Ye Xuan. If there’s one thing I, Lin Aoxue, have no shortage of in this life, it’s men.

"Since you gave up on me and abandoned this relationship, you should act like a man and accept it."

It would be a lie to say Lin Aoxue wasn’t heartbroken, but even if she wept in utter despair, it wouldn’t change the fact that Ye Xuan was going to marry Yang Bingyu. Whether a day was spent in joy or sorrow, life still had to go on. As long as she could make peace with the situation, things would be fine.

"I’m sorry, I truly never expected things to turn out like this. My feelings for Bingyu are strictly platonic; I’ve always seen her as a younger sister. I’ve never had romantic feelings for her.

"What happened that day was a setup. Bingyu and I were both schemed against. If I had been in my right mind, I swear I wouldn’t have laid a finger on her."

As he spoke, a bitter taste filled his mouth. He didn’t know if Lin Aoxue could accept such an explanation.

"Never had feelings for her? Set up? Ye Xuan, you’re about to marry Yang Bingyu. Do you really think telling me all this makes any difference now?

"I’ve already sold this house, and this will be my last time stepping foot in here. I hope you take good care of yourself in the future."

Lin Aoxue pulled the ring box from the very back of the drawer and casually tossed it into the trash can. As she brushed past Ye Xuan, there was not a shred of attachment or longing in her eyes.

Ye Xuan completely panicked. He grabbed her arm, a pleading note in his voice. "Xue’er, I was wrong. I was so wrong. Please, just give me one more chance, okay? I swear, just give me three months. After three months, I will definitely have all of this sorted out.

"Wait for me for three months, alright? I truly love you. I don’t want us to end like this."

This was the first time Lin Aoxue had ever heard him speak in such a humble, desperate tone. The high walls she had built up in her heart began to waver.

"Let go of me! I never want to see you again!" She knew she couldn’t stay any longer. She was terrified that listening to his pleas would soften her resolve.

"No! I won’t let you go! I will never let go. You are mine, and you will be mine for the rest of my life." Seeing that she was about to shake off his hand, Ye Xuan forcefully pulled her into a tight embrace.

Lin Aoxue struggled at first, but eventually, she gradually quieted down. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she let out low, muffled sobs.

"Xue’er, please don’t cry, okay? The last thing I want is to see you cry. Whenever you do, my heart aches terribly." Ye Xuan lowered his head and gently kissed her teary eyes, causing the temperature in the room to rise rapidly. Driven by their deep emotions, nature seamlessly took its course.

After lingering intimacies, the moon rose high above the willow trees. Lin Aoxue leaned against Ye Xuan’s chest, her delicate face still clouded with a frown. "Ye Xuan, do you really have absolutely no feelings for Yang Bingyu?"

Having finally managed to convince her to stay, Ye Xuan naturally wasn’t going to let her harbor any more doubts. Tightening his arms around her, he stated with absolute certainty, "I really don’t have any romantic feelings for Bingyu. From beginning to end, I have only ever treated her like my own little sister."

Hearing his answer, Lin Aoxue fell silent. She lowered her eyes and pondered for a long time before speaking. "I will believe you one last time. I’ll give you three months. If you fail to do what you promised by then, we’ll end things permanently."

These three months weren’t just a deadline for Ye Xuan; they were a grace period for herself as well.

"Really? That’s wonderful! I promise, after three months, I’ll have everything sorted out and come right back to your side." Overjoyed that she had agreed, Ye Xuan kissed her fiercely on the cheek, and the two instantly dissolved into a playful tussle.

Just as the atmosphere between them grew incredibly intimate, a harsh, urgent phone ringtone shattered the moment.

Pinned beneath him, Lin Aoxue gently pushed Ye Xuan, signaling for him to answer it.

Ye Xuan frowned in displeasure before picking up his phone. However, upon seeing the caller ID, his immediate instinct was to hang up.

"Is it Yang Bingyu calling?" Noticing his expression, Lin Aoxue instantly guessed who was on the other end of the line.

Ye Xuan nodded and prepared to toss the phone aside, ignoring it completely.

"Answer it. What if it’s an emergency?" Lin Aoxue nudged his arm, speaking with understanding. She was someone with very clear-cut emotions. Since she had chosen to wait for him for three months, she was committed to trusting him during that time.

Hearing her words, Ye Xuan let out a helpless sigh and pressed the answer button.

"Ye Xuan! Where are you? Hurry... hurry to the hospital! Grandfather... Grandfather is... sob..." As soon as the call connected, Yang Bingyu’s anguished sobs poured through the speaker.

Although her words were choked and broken, Ye Xuan understood immediately. Something terrible had happened to Yang Zhennan.