Chapter 10 Chapter 10

Xia Hesheng ate breakfast in the coffee shop near the library. She ate a lot in the past two days, and she felt very satisfied when her stomach was full. This morning, He Sheng felt that it was time to tell her mother the news, but it was really difficult how to speak. At this time, her widest-fitting clothes seemed a little tight, her face was round, and half of her increased weight seemed to be stored there. When he was about to check out and go to work, He Sheng raised his head and saw his mother. She was dazed and rubbed her eyes suspiciously. But it was Mrs. Xia. Mrs. Xia quietly sat opposite her daughter.

He Sheng was very surprised, "How did you find it?" "When Mr. Lie told me, I still didn't believe it." He Sheng looked at his watch, "It's time for me to work." "He Sheng, you should let Mr. Lie take care of you." Mrs. Xia's voice was quite calm, "It's a lot of inconvenience for a single woman to be homeless." He Sheng smiled and took a sip of coffee. "Mr. Lie asked me to persuade you." He Sheng said: "It seems that my natal family no longer welcomes me." "Would you like to move back home?"

"I don't want to add to your troubles," He Sheng said. "With my current status, I believe that I won't be very popular anywhere. Let's wait a few more months." "Mr. Lie said that your stubbornness annoyed him." He Sheng said: "His domineering also embarrasses me." At this time, Yan Nuo arrived, he paid for the tea, and said with a smile: "He Sheng, you go to work, I will talk to my aunt." He will always be Xia Hesheng's savior. As if he had been pardoned, He Sheng put on his coat and fled in a hurry, his movements were still agile.

Mrs. Xia looked at Yan Nuo movedly, "Have you been taking care of her?" Yan Nuo said, "We are good friends." Mrs. Xia complained, "You shouldn't let her go, so many things happened." Yan Nuo comforted her aunt, "Even so, she is willing." "I'm really worried about her." "Don't worry, He Sheng knows what she is doing. She is more rational and brave than us. I have full confidence in her." Mrs. Xia smiled wryly, "You always help her." "Believe me, Auntie, He Sheng is a very special woman." Xianghe gave birth to a coffee shop here, walked to the corner of the street, and saw a big black car parked in a prominent place, she looked at the license plate number, walked over slowly, stretched out her hand, and tapped on the rear window.

The closed black glass windows fell down after a while. The back seat is on the top but it is not Lie Zhan. He Sheng still said to the stranger: "Please go back and tell Mr. Lie, I appreciate his kindness." She walked away slowly. At noon, when Yan Nuo came to pick him up, He Sheng smiled and said, "No wonder I have to dismiss you, you will always be in the way." Yan Nuo accompanied her for a walk to the park, "Aunt has gone back." "I would also like to thank Mr. Lie for saving me the pain of confessing to my mother." "In these few months, he will still work hard."

"Alright," said He Sheng, "this way he can have some entertainment." "Your sense of humor seems to have recovered more than 50%." Yan Nuo is right, He Sheng seems to have found new strength. He Sheng stopped, "Gino, go and send Lie Yun off, I can handle it myself." "It's time someone told Agni the good news." He Sheng looked at the toes, "Yannuo, please don't go against my wishes, this may not be good news for him." "I understand your concerns." He Sheng said: "Yin Nuo, just think about it, if none of us were born, wouldn't the life of the previous generation be much easier."

Yan Nuo remained silent, and after a while he asked, "What's the child's name?" "Isn't there a three-day vacation? Take advantage of that time and think about it." Yan Nuo had an idea, "He Sheng, we can visit Lie Yun together." He's business was agitated, and he only said: "Aunt Yan knows that we are acting together, which may trigger another misunderstanding." Yan Nuo glared at her, but he was very happy in his heart, He Sheng had made great progress. The next morning, He Sheng went to post a letter at a nearby mailbox as usual, and suddenly remembered that he had not received any bounced letters yesterday.

She didn't want it to be a mismail, she hoped that Agni had accepted the letter and opened it. She was a little excited, and quickly recalled the content of the letter, tears welling up in her eyes. At noon, Yan Nuo came to pick her up to go out, but her mood was still not calmed down. He Sheng just walked to the door with simple luggage when someone came to intercept him. He Sheng recognized the man, she had seen him in the carriage on the corner yesterday. In a moment of impatience, the man took the liberty to ask, "Miss Xia, where are you going?" He Sheng was greatly surprised, and asked, "Who are you? Why should I report to you?"

The man took a step back and hurried back into the car. Yan Nuo and He Sheng set off for the airport. Yan Nuo looked at the rear view mirror, "He followed behind." He Sheng was speechless, he could imagine that there were people staring at Lie Yun like this back then, what a huge pressure it was. He Sheng suddenly said, "Put the car to the gas station in front." Yan Nuo asked: "What?" The car had already slowed down. He Sheng let out a breath, and when the car stopped, she said, "I'm going to buy a can of soda." The big black car behind also stopped.

He Sheng walked over, but the driver pretended not to see her. He Sheng said softly: "I don't intend to start a career of fleeing. Please tell Mr. Lie that my trip is to visit Lie Yun in Boston with my promise. I am safe, and so is the baby. Please don't be nervous, Mr. Lie." The driver was very surprised when he heard He Sheng's candid words, his face softened, and he finally said: "Miss Xia, thank you, you have made my life much easier." "you are welcome." He Sheng returned to the car, Yan Nuo asked, "What did you say to him?" He Sheng replied: "It turns out that the way out of the maze couldn't be easier."

"tell me the story." "Just reach out and push down the obstacles in front of you. We've been making big mistakes, going round and round and round and round, stupid." Yan Nuo started the car and didn't realize it until he arrived at the airport. He said, "Look at the situation, you finally accepted Mr. Lie." "yes." "It's not easy." "I know, but I don't think it's interesting to fight any longer. I'm willing to make appropriate concessions, and I hope he will understand me." Yan Nuo smiled, "Mr. Lie only knows how to advance, but not how to retreat. For him, the term "discussion" means that he will tell you what to do next." He Sheng said, "So many things have happened, is he still the same?" "I don't know, or you're right, it's worth a try." In the waiting room, He Sheng gently pushed Yan Nuo, and Yan Nuo looked in the direction she suggested, only to see Lie Zhan Zhan standing far away, nodded to them, then turned and left. Poor man. Summarizing the gains and losses of his life, he lived in extreme poverty.His original partner was unfaithful to him, his eldest son was not born by him, his relationship with his second wife broke down, Lie Zhansheng is the protagonist in the tragedy. Strangely, no one has ever seen him from this angle. Seeing He Sheng in a daze, Yan Nuo whispered in her ear, "He has already left." He Sheng raised his head and asked, "Where is he going? Can he know the way home?" Yan Nuo was startled, "He is Lie Zhan." He Sheng laughed immediately, "Indeed, he is Lie Zhan." When they arrived at Chen's Mansion, the housekeeper refused to let them in. The guards were so strict, it could be seen that they were afraid that someone would take Lie Yun away. After Yan Nuo left his name and hotel phone number, he left with He Sheng. He Sheng was writing postcards in a small restaurant by an artificial lake. Yan Nuo thought she was going to send it to Lie Huo, but when she saw the address, she turned out to be greeting her mother. He Sheng said: "We rarely grow up according to our parents' wishes. After the age of three, we have developed freely, each has its own destiny, each has its own path, and it is inevitable that adults will be disappointed." "Xia Hesheng will be a mother, and my emotions suddenly increase." He Sheng suddenly remembered, "Where's that pretty lady who went on a blind date with you?" "She's sure that I've lost all ties with my old lover, and I can't avoid seeing her anymore." "For such a good boy, she should come out and fight me to the death." "He Sheng, you always overestimate me." He Sheng laughed. She patted Yan Nuo on the shoulder, admitting in her heart that it was not an easy task to sublimate the feelings in the narrow sense of the past to today's level. In the evening, the phone was connected, and Ms. Chen Shan was willing to meet them. She stood at the door to welcome He Sheng, "I know Miss Xia has always been Xiaoyun's friend." He Sheng was very ashamed. "please come in." Everyone sat down, and after exchanging pleasantries, they didn't know how to speak, and the three just looked at each other. After a long time, everyone sat quietly, but there was something in the air that made He Sheng's nose a little sour. Finally, Ms. Chen asked, "Has anyone seen a fire recently?" They shook their heads. Ms. Chen said in embarrassment: "He doesn't want to see anyone." She sighed deeply. The reception room fell silent again. It was Ms. Chen who broke the silence, "Miss Xia, I'll bring Lie Yun out." Lie Yun became fatter and looked round. When he saw He Sheng, he recognized her, and he went to her and called, "He Sheng." He Sheng hugged her tightly, "Lie Yun, you are so kind, look, who is this." Lie Yun just smiled, "So it's Brother Yan, please come and sit here." There was no joy on her mother's face. He Sheng went over and said, "Mrs. Lie—" "I have already returned to my original surname." She paused, "I have been married for more than 20 years, and I have been a wife of Lie for less than a month. I don't know my husband, I am very unfamiliar with my children, and I have failed so badly that I cannot fail again." ." He Sheng smiled, and was relieved to see that Ms. Chen was still straightforward. She then asked, "Yan Nuo, can you tell me what the hell your boss is up to. He made an appointment to meet me in New York, but told me to miss out." Yan Nuo smiled apologetically, "He has other important matters and can't leave." "You can tell him honestly that it was my biggest mistake to hand Lie Yun over to him sixteen years ago, and I won't repeat it today." He Sheng followed Lie Yun to the greenhouse. Lie Yun turned around and was very surprised to see He Sheng, "He Sheng, why are you here?" He Sheng sat on the bench with her, "I'll come to see you." He knew in his heart that Lie Yun had lost his memory, and he would forget everything in a flash. He Sheng knew she shouldn't think like this, but he couldn't help thinking like this, what a great thing it was to be able to forget everything. Just as she was feeling emotional, a strange fragrance suddenly penetrated into He Sheng's nostrils. She turned her head to look for the source of the fragrance, and saw two pots of Datura flowers in one style beside the flower shelf, ten or eight buds were in full bloom. The fragrance evokes all the emotions and desires in He Sheng's body, and the joys and sorrows of her life are numerous, and tears of laughter suddenly flowed across her chest in an instant. He Sheng couldn't bear it, and hastily covered his face with his hands. "He Sheng," Lie Yun asked, "what's wrong with you?" He Sheng replied softly, "Nothing." "He Sheng, why are you crying?" Xiao Yun held her hand. He Sheng replied, "I miss the raging fire." Lie Yun smiled: "Oh, Lie Huo." At this time, Yan Nuo called them, "Does Xiao Yun want to add a coat?" He Sheng said to Lie Yun, "Let's go back." The nurse came over and took Lie Yun away. When Yan Nuo came over, he only saw an ambiguous smile on the corner of He Sheng's mouth. He comforted her: "One day, Lie Yun will sum up the past and the past one by one." He Sheng raised his head, "At that time, I'm afraid she will scream and cry bitterly." Yan Nuo knelt down, "What are you talking about, I thought you'd cheered up." Refreshments are ready. Ms. Chen said, "He Sheng, I know you have always wanted to reunite this broken family." He Sheng was surprised and said, "No, I never thought of doing something beyond my abilities." Ms. Chen smiled, "You will have a right-hand man soon." Her eyes fell on He Sheng's abdomen. He Sheng was a little embarrassed. "Didn't expect to get such encouraging good news today." He Sheng asked, "You support me?" Chen Shan hugged He Sheng without hesitation, "I'm so stupid, I didn't notice until Yan Nuo told me." "You are too young to be a grandmother." He Sheng smiled. "Yin Nuo said that you plan to take care of him yourself." He Sheng nodded. At this time Lie Yun approached, "What are you talking about, it seems very happy." He Sheng stretched out his hand to beckon her, "Come here, squat down." According to Hesheng's instructions, Xiaoyun put her ears to her abdomen, and the fetus kicked by chance, Xiaoyun was startled, "Yo," she said, "There is someone." Yan Nuo laughed out loud first, "Xiaoyun is right, but there really are people." Lie Yun laughed too, she still put her arms on He Sheng's shoulders. That night, He Sheng wrote the joke and sent it to Lie Huo. Yan Nuo asked He Sheng: "Is the program satisfactory? Is the journey enjoyable?" He Sheng replied: "I am worried that I will see Mr. Lie's stern face when I go back." "You're the only one of us who never paid attention to the color of his face." He Sheng sighed, "I shouldn't have done that, I should treat him better." The next day they took Lie Yun to the park to feed the pigeons. The nurse and driver followed closely, He Sheng was a little uncomfortable, but Lie Yun was very satisfied. Like a three-year-old milk baby, she chases birds all over the grass. He Sheng suddenly felt that the children of Lie's family had a strange fate. They could not see their father when they saw their mother. The parents were like two stars in business, and they were not allowed to reunite. She said softly to the fetus: "I'm afraid you will also live a period like this." Yan Nuo has always been around Lie Yun. After eating the ice cream, they sent Xiaoyun home. Lie Yun held He Sheng at the door, reluctant to let her go, with a dazed expression, but he couldn't think of the reason why he refused to let He Sheng leave, He Sheng felt sorry for her. Ms. Chen came out to thank her in person, "Come back when you have time, and take care of yourself." On the way home, He Sheng said to Yan Nuo, "You can rest assured, I have found new strength." Yan Nuo nodded, "I admire you very much, He Sheng." "As a friend of Li Huo and Xia Hesheng, no one can do better and more perfect than you." Yan Nuo said: "At the beginning, I am not selfish." "Mr. Xiang Lie resign, maybe you should go home to accompany your parents, otherwise the misunderstanding with the elders will deepen and an ice wall will be built one day." "Now it's your turn to organize my life?" He Sheng smiled. "Some people say that they are most afraid of others being kind to him, because there is nothing to repay." He Sheng is silent, it is indeed a kind of pressure, Gino has sacrificed too much for her unconditionally for too long, he should start a new life more than anyone else. Yan Nuo asked He Sheng, "You want me to go?" He Sheng nodded. "Okay, I'll go, but don't say I didn't tell you, as soon as I get home, I'll start a feast." He Sheng said sincerely, "That's great." Yan Nuo fell silent, "He Sheng, I've wanted to ask you a question for a long time." "I know." "Do you know what the problem is?" "certainly." Yan Nuo was not angry, "tell me." "Are you going to pay me back the English literature notes I owed in my freshman year?" Yan Nuo looked at Xia Hesheng, and kept laughing until tears fell down. Then he gently kissed her forehead and cheek, "Xia Hesheng Xia Hesheng, you will never fail me." He Sheng didn't dare to let him hear her sigh. Of course she knew what Yan Nuo wanted to ask, he wanted to ask: He Sheng, have you ever loved me from the beginning to the end? She had always been afraid that he would finally be unable to bear it and would ask. She didn't want to lie, but deep down in her heart, until now, she understood that Xia Hesheng didn't really love Yan Nuo, because if there was, she didn't know how to describe it Her affection for Agni. The car stopped at the door, and Yan Nuo said to He Sheng, "If you need me, find me." When Xia Hesheng came home and opened the door, the first thing he did was to check for bounced letters. No. The floor was smooth and bare, not even scraps of advertising mail for electricity bills. He Sheng relaxed, took a bath and changed clothes to rest. Then she realized that there was another reason for her comfort. She walked to the living room, opened the curtains, and looked straight into the street. The feeling of being peeped had completely disappeared today. The person who watched her had already left. He Sheng hoped that they would never come again. It was Ye Hesheng who slept very well. The next morning when she went to work, the big black car that was all too familiar immediately drove up to her, and the driver got out of the car to greet her, "Miss Xia, you are back." He Sheng nodded. "Do you want to use the car today? Miss Xia." "No, I'm walking, I need gentle exercise anyway." Unexpectedly, the driver handed He Sheng a card, "Miss Xia, if you need me, call me." He immediately got in the car and drove away. How civilized! He Sheng didn't believe that Lie Zhansheng would give her so much freedom and respected her wishes. Don't underestimate this small change, it is simply a big and difficult step for a person like Lie Zhan. I didn't see anyone coming to negotiate for a whole day. After working on the desk for a long time, my neck and back are a little sore. At noon, I went out to the dining hall to eat a sandwich, and then I made it again when I came back. No one harassed me until the end of get off work. He Sheng raised his head, as if it had been a lifetime. She muttered to herself, "My child, no one is going to take care of us anymore, so we are left to fend for ourselves here." It felt very contradictory. He Sheng was afraid that she would sit in this seat for the rest of her life, repairing broken books for the library until her hair became gray. It turns out that everything has just begun after winning freedom. It is no wonder that many women do not yearn for the sea and the sky at all. They prefer to lie in the familiar nest and complain every day. The library was closing at 8 o'clock. Seeing her leaving late, a colleague asked her, "Are you feeling well?" "No." She packed up the things and went home. It was already dark, and He Sheng had the urge to go back indoors and dial a phone to the driver. He finally endured it, took out a piece of chocolate from his handbag, took a bite, and walked hard. He Sheng heard footsteps catching up and turned around quickly. It was the enthusiastic female colleague just now, He Sheng was disappointed again, she thought it was a promise to pick her up. "Let's go together." The female colleague said with a smile. He Sheng nodded. At the beginning, they, including her mother, entangled her until she was dying. After several times, He Sheng wanted to cry bitterly when he was nearly suffocated. Now, they finally listened to her pleadings, and He Sheng felt the loneliness of being alone again. horrible. She looked up and looked into the sky, only seeing scattered stars, her heart was a little sad. Is there really no middle route in the world, or is it still waiting to be found? A female colleague said: "We have been clamoring for independence, but now our husbands are happy and relaxed, and they no longer come to pick us up." He Sheng could only smile. The female colleague remembered, "We seem to have met your husband a few times." He Sheng simply replied, "He's been busy recently." The two of them came to an intersection, and the female colleague said, "I'm going to turn left here, so be careful." "By the way," He Sheng asked, "when will this winter end?" "It's coming soon, the treetops have already sprouted," my colleague laughed, "The first winter is indeed difficult, but our spring will surprise you." He Sheng smiled, "See you tomorrow." She walked home slowly, thinking of many adjectives along the way, like tottering, bumping, wandering... The bakery on the corner of the street was about to close, and He Sheng still had time to enter the shop to buy the last raisin roll. The shop owner knew her well, "I thought you weren't coming." He Sheng thanked you. "Take good care of that baby." She opened the door, still no return letter. She assumed that Agni had accepted the letter and read it. Next, maybe he would reply her with a word. What He Sheng has to do now is to get familiar with this ordinary life. Sleeping until midnight, she heard someone calling her: "He Sheng, He Sheng." It was that familiar dream again. She floated free from the bed, tracing the source of the sound. She saw someone sitting on the small chair in the living room with her back on his back. The man turned his head slowly, and she realized that he was a fire. His face has changed a lot, his mustache and hair have been cleaned, he smiled and asked He Sheng: "Are you still waiting?" He Sheng replied, "Yes, I have been waiting." She approached Agni, stretched out her hand, and touched his face, it felt so real, He Sheng asked: "You have suffered a lot, right?" Agni nodded. Deep down in his heart, He Sheng knew that this was a dream, but he also felt very happy. Just as he was about to greet Lie Huo further, the phone rang suddenly. He Sheng's spirit was startled by this, and immediately returned to her body on the bed. She jumped up, lifted the quilt, and went out to listen to the phone. It's too beautiful, who has something important to talk to her in a hurry? She looked at the clock, it was only seven o'clock. There was a foreigner on the other end. When He Sheng heard it, he couldn't help laughing. It was clearly a typo. He was about to speak, but the foreigner asked, "Are you still waiting?" He Sheng was startled, tears welled up and fell one after another. The voice of the other party was very immature, he was clearly a young man, and only a boy of eighteen or nineteen years old would dial the phone in the morning light to ask such a silly and infatuated question. He Sheng couldn't help answering: "Yes, I have been waiting." He heard a voice that was not what he expected, and he only thought that He Sheng was joking, and hung up the phone with a click, and there was only a whining sound in the receiver. It was cold spring, He Sheng put on a shawl and sat in front of the window, covering his face. Some people think that life, old age, sickness, death, and poverty are the most difficult. Although it is true, the pain of longing is enough to make people forever. After sitting quietly for a long time, she raised her head and saw that there were indeed some green buds attached to the branches of the cherry tree outside the door. Ten days later, when these tender shoots had grown and stretched into translucent emerald leaves, He Sheng heard Yan Nuo's voice again. "How are you doing, how are you doing?" He Sheng was very pleasantly surprised, "Good guy, I thought you were going to avoid me for the rest of your life." He just laughed, "The real thing is rare and precious. I used to feel disgusted when I saw it, but today I feel like a treasure." He Sheng said: "If you don't see each other in a day, it's like three autumns." "But, He Sheng, you are right, we tried too much to manage your life in the past." "Yannuo, now even Mr. Lie has given up on me, and the driver's bodyguards are no longer surrounding me. It's not without a little bit of regret." Yan Nuo was surprised, "Really? I didn't expect Mr. Lie to do this." "Can we get together tonight to discuss the details?" "Uh--" "Yannuo, everyone is beautiful every night, right?" He laughed, "He Sheng, I'm at home. This is a long distance call. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to your appointment tonight. How about the next night?" "You're home!" "Yes, my parents and I have resolved the misunderstanding." "I'm so happy for you." "The grudge is still there, I never thought my mother would be so arrogant and blind." "Shh, watch out she hears." "It's a good thing you don't have to marry into our family." At this time, across the Atlantic Ocean, He Sheng suddenly heard someone from Yan Nuo's voice asking, "Who, who won't marry you?" Yan Nuo was a little embarrassed, "He Sheng, that's—" He Sheng hurriedly continued, "Your English tutor." "No--" "One of your cousins, that's for sure, Yan Nuo, we'll have dinner together the night after tomorrow." Yan Nuo kept laughing, "Do you want me to bring something?" "Yes, news of the fire." Yan Nuo was silent for a while, "I will do my best." The university personnel department meets with He Sheng and reveals a good news to her. They wanted to make her a permanent employee, so she would have access to medical care, maternity leave and other benefits. He Sheng immediately agreed. Someone must have done her a favor by handing her a letter of recommendation. Who is it? As soon as she returned to her seat and sat down, the female colleague smiled at He Sheng. He Sheng understood, she went over and said, "Thank you." "The application documents are only handed in, and it depends on whether your resume and experience are suitable. Besides, this is not a fancy job." "I am sincerely grateful." I didn't expect to make friends here. "It can be seen that you have more than the life you are living now." "No no no, I prefer now." "There must be a touching story in it, which you may wish to tell me in due course." He Sheng smiled and returned to his seat to work. If you want to take root here, the opportunity has come and you can grasp it. Her mother is a permanent resident here and can apply for her daughter's naturalization and work here. Hey, how long has it been since we dealt with people's livelihood issues. Only then did He Sheng realize that no matter what, people have to live on. Yan Nuo brought a small and delicious chocolate cake to see her. He Sheng decided to eat one piece first before going out to eat, but he didn't know that one piece was not enough, so he added another corner, thinking that Yan Nuo didn't pay attention, he secretly stuffed half of the cake into his mouth, and ate a full half of the cake. Yan Nuo didn't expect He Sheng to gain so much weight in just two weeks. She seems very satisfied and peaceful, which really makes Yan Nuo sad, he prefers her to be sensitive and sad, a beautiful woman in his mind should always complain about reality and feel inadequate everywhere, but He Sheng seems to be used to all kinds of unsatisfactory setbacks in life , Even as the protagonist of the tragedy has become numb. Yan Nuo's heart and chest were full of tears. Just now he was feeling sad, but He Sheng asked him: "How is your cousin?" It was indeed his distant cousin on the phone that night, he didn't want to explain, he just replied: "OK, thank you." He Sheng asked again, "Have you seen a raging fire?" "Mr. Lie is negotiating with his lawyer about his release on bail next year." He Sheng already guessed that Lie Huo still refused to see her friend, so she lowered her head. Sure enough, Yan Nuo said, "I only talked to him a few words." "Did you mention me?" "Have." "Any good news?" Yan Nuo replied: "Hearing his voice, I seem to be in a very peaceful state of mind." He Sheng had low requirements, and after hearing these words, he let out a sigh of satisfaction. "We're going out to dinner." He Sheng asked, "Yin Nuo, does time really heal all sorrows?" Yan Nuo replied, "Maybe, but if it takes twenty years for the wound to heal, what good is it?" Yan Nuo became more and more mature and gentle, getting along with him felt like drinking an extremely mellow vintage wine. He Sheng couldn't help saying: "Your cousin is a lucky girl." Yan Nuo looked around downstairs in He Sheng's apartment, and sure enough, he could no longer see the troops sent by Lie Shi. But he understands that Lie Zhansheng is much deeper than He Sheng, and he knows that Lieshi will not give up completely. They must still be around, quietly carrying out their mission, but their actions are slightly restrained. Yan Nuo thought of Li Huo and said to him: "I really don't want to give He any more false hope." Li Huo's voice was calm and old, and extremely cold. When he mentioned Xia Hesheng, it seemed to be talking about the past. "He Sheng also needs spiritual support." "I know." "You should answer her letter." Agni didn't answer. Yannuo didn't get an answer, and his heart felt sour, and He Sheng's humble hope fell through again. Agni said: "There is such a thing as starting from scratch in the world. It is best for her to start with her, and for me to start with me." "Fire—" "It's time to talk, goodbye." Agni hung up the phone without any hesitation. Only then did Yan Nuo realize how much Lie Huo resembled his father Lie Zhan. Seeing that Yan Nuo couldn't swallow the rich food, He Sheng joked in surprise: "Cousin has a quarrel with you?" Yan Nuo forced a smile, "How dare she go against my will." He Sheng felt that Yan Nuo was getting cuter and cuter, so he couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder. "Now, you can tell me if Agni will see me." Yan Nuo said softly: "He is still hiding in the cocoon, unwilling to come out." He Sheng suddenly became angry, "The two brothers and sisters agreed to adopt such a selfish way to protect themselves, but it caused greater pain to others." Yan Nuo can only agree with three points, Li Huo's mood is understandable, he does not want He Sheng to continue to sacrifice for him. He drank wine on an empty stomach and gradually became a little drunk. He Sheng said, "Let's go back." "He Sheng, it looks like you have to get through this difficulty alone." "I was mentally prepared." Having said that, He Sheng still felt discouraged. The next day, He Sheng went to the clinic feeling disappointed. The doctor smiled and said to her, "It's a girl." He Sheng was taken aback. "Don't like girls?" Girls tend to worry their parents more than boys. "I like girls," said the doctor. Back in the library, a female colleague came to express condolences: "How is the test result?" "Everything is fine, thank you." "Then I'm going to celebrate with you. You haven't invited anyone to lunch yet, have you?" He Sheng smiled, "It's a deal." Who knew that she suddenly slipped her mouth, "I like girls too." With a flash of inspiration, He Sheng understood everything in a flash, and she couldn't help laughing. Where did so many kind-hearted people come from? It turned out that the doctors and colleagues were all subordinates of Lie Zhansheng. But this time, He Sheng didn't feel disgusted. She pretended that she couldn't detect any flaws, and went about her daily work as if nothing had happened. Lie Zhan is much more subtle than before. So did Xia Hesheng. The female colleague was uneasy, and tested He Sheng several times, but He Sheng didn't show any traces, and they were still friends. Lie Shengsheng took great pains to make such an arrangement, and He Sheng couldn't bear to expose it. There has been an understanding between them. He Sheng called him when he was off work. Lie Zhansheng never thought that Xia Hesheng would take the initiative to contact him. He was discussing some important matters with his personal assistant, and immediately announced the adjournment. He asked Hesheng: "But there is something important?" "No, can we have a cup of tea together?" That tone was completely as natural and peaceful as a daughter's to her father. Lie Zhansheng was greatly shocked, because no one had ever spoken to him like this. He cleared his throat, "Tomorrow at four o'clock in the afternoon, I will come to see you." "Mr. Lie, see you tomorrow." He Sheng prepared refreshments, and specially moved a bookshelf into the room to make the living room more spacious. She prepared a steamer coffee pot, tried the finished product and found it delicious before deciding to serve it to guests. When she heard the knock on the door, He Sheng remembered that she looked at her watch, it was only a quarter to three, she wiped her hands and went to open the door. There was an old woman standing outside the door, suddenly He Sheng didn't recognize her, her back was hunched, her hands were clasped tightly in front of her chest, the most bizarre thing was her hair, which was divided into two parts, the front was white and the back was black, It turns out that if you are used to dyeing your hair, it will be so weird when you stop. He Sheng didn't know her. She didn't recognize Hesheng either, because she asked, "Is Xia Hesheng here?" "I am Xia Hesheng." "You are Xia Hesheng?" He Sheng smiled secretly, he has gained more than ten kilograms these days, but who is this, have they met before? "You don't remember me?" The old woman raised her head and asked resentfully. He Sheng shook his head. "It's all over, isn't it, even Qiyuan has forgotten?" He Sheng was startled, the hairs all over his body stood on end, it's impossible, this can't be Ms Zhou, this old woman looks to be over seventy years old, how could it be her. He Sheng took a step back. She stroked her face, "Have I really become that powerful?" He Sheng hurriedly replied, "Everyone is different from before." "Yes," she murmured, "you're totally different, too." "please come in." "You let me in?" "Didn't you come to see me?" She nodded, "That's right, Lie Feng kept saying that only you have no prejudice." He Sheng felt sorry for him and couldn't bear to look at her. "Let me ask you a question." He Sheng didn't care about anything, and took the opportunity to say, "I also want to ask you a question." The old woman stared at He Sheng with terrifying green eyes, "Okay, you ask first." "Lie Feng is not a child of Lie's family, is he?" She was taken advantage of by He Sheng and was very displeased, but she had to trade what she knew for what she wanted to know, so she nodded. He Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, she finally cleared her doubts. "It's my turn to ask questions." "Excuse me." "That incident, was it an accident?" He Sheng nodded, "It was indeed an accident. It could be either of them who fell down the building." "you swear?" "I swear." "By the child in your womb." She still refused to let anyone go, but He Sheng was calm and said, "I can swear on my child, it was an accident." The old woman raised her head and let out a long mouthful of resentment, He Sheng heard it in her ears, and felt goosebumps all over her skin, and the fetus suddenly became agitated and kicked uncontrollably. He Sheng comforted softly, "Don't be afraid if there is nothing wrong." But couldn't help but take another step back. "So you didn't lie in court." He Sheng stared at her. "I'm leaving." She stood up, walked tremblingly to the door, opened it, and left. He Sheng froze in the corner. After a while, the doorbell rang again, and then she came back to her senses and looked at the time. It was just four o'clock. She went to open the door, and Lie Zhansheng said in surprise, "He Sheng, you look so bad." He Sheng hurriedly said, "I must be in a hurry." "He Sheng, let me see you again." He Sheng couldn't help it, "Mr. Lie." She buried her face in his chest, as she would have done if she had a father. "You're shaking all over, tell me, what's the matter?" Lie Zhansheng helped her to sit down, and gradually He Sheng's pale face returned to a little rosy. She couldn't help telling Lie Zhansheng, "I saw her." "Who?" "The old owner of Qiyuan." Lie Zhan let out a breath, "That's your nightmare, that person is sick in bed, besides, even if you see her, you won't know her, she is very old." He Sheng was even more sure that she saw the right person, "It's her, I really saw her." Lie Zhansheng's tone was very affirmative, "The health condition has not allowed her to travel across the ocean, so it can't be her." He Sheng knew that he wouldn't believe it for a while, so he poured out coffee for him. Lie Zhan took a sip, "It's much better than the last cup." He Sheng smiled. "Do you have something to say to me?" He Sheng lowered his head and looked at the cup, "Family, don't be too unfamiliar. Agni refused us at the door, and we were busy creating disputes. It doesn't seem to help if this goes on. In the future, Agni may see this situation. disappointment." Lie defeated his surprise, "I don't understand what you mean." He Sheng stretched out his hand, "Let's be friends." Lie Zhansheng was deeply surprised by this girl's stubbornness. She was uncompromising and unwilling to be manipulated by him, but she was willing to sit on an equal footing with him and shake hands to make peace. Lie Zhansheng had no choice but to stretch out his hand. He knew very well that this was the only way to do it. "I know there are still people around you." He Sheng said with a smile. Lie Zhan was a little embarrassed, and then said, "I think you need to be taken care of." "That's when I realized that a job worth fifteen yuan an hour also depends on personnel." They were gradually talking harmoniously, when someone knocked on the door suddenly. Lie Zhansheng asked: "He Sheng, are you waiting for someone?" He Sheng was surprised, "No, I didn't date anyone else." She went to open the door, and outside the door was the driver she was familiar with. Of course, at this time, He Sheng also understood that this gentleman's status was not just that of a driver, he was one of Lie Zhansheng's confidantes. "Miss Xia, is Mr. Lie here?" Lie Zhansheng has already greeted him, "What's the matter?" "Mr. Lie." He leaned forward and said a few words in Lie Zhansheng's ear. Xia Hesheng saw Lie Zhansheng's complexion suddenly changed, and knew that this news was not trivial. Lie Zhansheng asked, "When did it happen?" The confidant said another word softly. It will take a while before you can say: "You go back first." Then he turned his head and stared at He Sheng. He Sheng was no longer afraid at this moment. She knew exactly what happened. She said gently, "Ms. Zhou Qi just passed away, didn't she?" Lie Zhan nodded. He Sheng knew in his heart that there was only one thing she couldn't let go of, and she wanted to know the answer. He Sheng had already told her the truth, so she could rest in peace. "He Sheng, who did you say you met just now?" He Sheng said calmly: "Because I was thinking about it every day, I was dreaming. I was a little tired from waiting for you just now, so I must have fallen asleep." Lie Zhansheng knew that she would not say more, so he bowed his head and said, "I will take care of the funeral for her." He Sheng felt sorry for her, "I guess she has no relatives." Lie Zhan shook his head, confirming this. He Sheng asked, "What disease caused her to suddenly age?" Lie Zhan pretended not to hear the flaw, "Cancer." He Sheng walked him all the way to the parking lot. Lie Zhansheng asked: "He Sheng, do you decide to wait?" He Sheng replied, "No, I decided to live on." 唯有采取这样的态度，才能挨过这段日子。荷生并没有准备闲下来，她并没有打算看日出日落便当作一天，日日呻吟，夜夜流泪，她真的想正常生活。 "请告诉烈火，我并没有为什么人牺牲。" 烈战胜说："听说会是个女孩。" 荷生微笑，"不论男女，你都会失望，我带孩子的方法，与烈家大有出入。" "她会姓烈吧？"烈战胜还存有最后一线希望。 荷生非常坦白，"我不认为会。" 烈战胜十分气馁，"我希望你会回心转意。" 荷生笑，替他关上车门。 "荷生，"他按下车窗，"我们有空再喝茶。" "certainly." 他去了。 荷生回家，看到自己的影子，怀疑不速之客又来探访，蓦然回首，走廊空无一人。 恐惧亦会用罄，一如眼泪，去到尽头，黑暗化作黎明，往往有出人意表的发现。 荷生时常怀疑烈风就在街角等她，她相信他会挑选树荫最最浓密之处，但枝叶再茂也遮不住，他削薄的脸容，憔悴的大眼，瘦长的身段。 荷生相信在百步之遥便可以把他认出来。 好几次在黄昏穿过公园，她都仿佛看到他。 她趋向前去，轻轻问："烈风，你在那里吗？" 她希望他会慢慢走出来，就像以前那样，似笑非笑看着她，对她似有好感，但明明又是对立的一个人物。 荷生比什么时候都想念他，假如现在才开始认识他，荷生会把关系处理得比较好一点，也许悲剧不会发生。 现在她只希望与他说几句话。 每日上下班她都故意走同一条路，等他前来相会，但她始终没有再见到他，或许他不再信任她，或许他对她不满，荷生觉得深深失望。 她的行动渐渐不便，母亲来探访她，仍然问："言诺呢？"夏太太永远不会忘记这个可爱的男生。 他两地穿梭，忙着事业跟学业。 夏太太说："他也不大来看你了。"十分遗憾。 "相信他已经开始了新生活。" 自母亲眼中，荷生猜到她想些什么。 母亲一定在想，烈火同言诺两个人，夏荷生明明认识言诺在先。 不知恁地，荷生没有嫁给言诺，但也没有嫁给烈火。 她落得子然一人。 言诺终于抽空来看她的时候，并没有带来好消息。 "荷生，你要有心理准备，烈火即使出来，未必肯与你见面。" 荷生静静地说："还有两年多时间，谁能预言未来。" "说得很对，也许决定不再等待的会是你。" "不，"荷生微笑，"那是你。" 言诺尴尬地看着她，"荷生，我永远说不过你。" "嗳，你说得过表妹不就行了。" 荷生最记得这一天，樱花开了一树，不用风亦满枝乱颠，纷纷堕下。 司阍正把落花扫到小径两边，看到荷生，微笑道："春天到了。" She nodded. "孩子几时到？" "下个月。" "要额外留神。" "谢谢你的关怀。" 她开启大门，看到一封信。 荷生并没有特别留神，她并没有即时拾起它，因为她此刻的身材，做蹲下的动作已经不十分方便。 荷生先去打开窗户，放些新鲜空气进屋。 然后做一杯热茶，喝将起来。 胎儿似乎有点不安，又似努力尝试在有限的空间内转动身躯。 荷生感到一阵剧痛，她失手掉了杯子，猛然记起医生的吩咐，连忙作深呼吸，松驰手足。 辛苦了五分钟，那种剧痛停顿下来，她取起电话，与医生联络，医生说："你尽快向医院报到吧，我随即赶来，春光明媚，恐怕小客人等不及要出来看看这世界。" 荷生一时不知道应该收拾些什么，看到杯子滚在地上，便用手托着腰，慢慢蹲下拾起它，它的旁边便是那封信，荷生亦顺带将之拣起放在桌上。 她取出卡片，打电话给烈家的司机。 "我是夏小姐，我想从公寓到医院去，你们可方便来接我？" "十分钟即到。" 荷生道了谢。 她对刚才那剧痛犹有余怖，呆坐桌旁。 她低下头，看到白信封上写着她的名字，忽然之间，荷生察觉，这不是一封退信，也不是一封广告信，这是一封私人信件。 字迹完全陌生。 她轻轻拆开，信上短短三行字，她的名字之后，留了许多白，像是表示一个人的沉默，不知话该从何说起，然后，那人这样写：你信中的白字，也实在太多了一点。 荷生愕然，信，什么信？接着一个签名映入她的眼帘：烈火。 荷生发呆，不知是虚是实，是梦是真，随即想起，原来她从来没有见过烈火的签名，他们之间根本没有时间去发掘这些细节。 这会不会是什么人的恶作剧？ 荷生不住抚摸着白信纸上的签名。 这时听见敲门声："夏小姐，夏小姐，有车子来接你。" 荷生抹一抹额角的汗珠，起身去开门，那封信紧紧握在手中。 门外是一脸笑容的言诺，"夏小姐，你准备好没有？" 荷生连忙拉住他，"言诺，言诺，你来看，这是谁的签名。" 言诺一看，"烈火！" "这是烈火的笔迹？" "的确是。" 荷生松下一口气来。 言诺明白了，他什么也不说，只是扶着荷生的手臂出门。 他感觉到有一股喜悦自荷生的手臂传过来，直达他的体内，连带感应了他，后来吉诺觉得不对，荷生正紧皱眉头，歪曲着五官，正尽力忍痛，这股喜悦来自何处？ 言诺忽然明白了，这快乐来自胎儿，是她，她在雀跃，她在鼓舞。 言诺轻轻对她说："你有什么故事要告诉我？" 即使有，也不在上一代的篇幅之内了。 此刻，司机将车子飞驰到医院去，她的母亲手中，紧紧握着她父亲的一封来信。 一个希望。