Holding her tightly in his arms, Cheng Shaobai carefully led her forward. The short distance took nearly five minutes to walk.
Upon reaching the lobby, he neatly folded the umbrella and pulled out some tissues to wipe Hua Lianxi's damp hair. "It's a bit wet here."
Hua Lianxi's gaze fell on his broad shoulders. She lightly twisted away to dodge his wiping. "Your clothes are wet too. You should wipe yourself!" As she spoke, she pushed his hand toward his shoulder.
Following her glance casually down to his clothes, Cheng Shaobai smiled. "You go inside first. I'll wait in the car. Call me later!" Then opening the umbrella, he stepped directly into the rain, his smile unchanged.
She touched her hair, still slightly damp. The droplets had already been wiped away by Cheng Shaobai. Hua Lianxi turned and headed to the elevator.
At lunchtime, the elevator dinged and the doors opened, immediately releasing a large crowd. Hua Lianxi stepped aside, waiting for everyone inside to exit before entering herself.
The restless crowd hurried in as the elevator inside cleared out. When everyone in line had pushed through, Hua Lianxi finally stepped in, reached out and pressed the button for Fang Xiufang's floor. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, they suddenly opened again.
Curiously looking up, Hua Lianxi instinctively took a step back—and accidentally stepped on someone's foot.
"Sorry! Sorry!" She quickly turned and apologized, pressing closer to the wall.
Hands in his pockets, a sharp gaze swept over her face before settling on her hair, staring darkly.
Pretending not to know or see her, Hua Lianxi held her breath and tried to stay calm as the elevator ascended.
The elevator paused floor by floor. Some people got off, then a few new ones came on. Hua Lianxi shifted along with the crowd, each wave pushing her gradually backward.
The floor numbers changed continuously. When nearing Fang Xiufang's floor, only four people remained in the rather spacious elevator. Hua Lianxi gripped the thermos and took a deep breath.
Kong Chengyi stood tall and steadfast, not shifting his position with the crowd, seemingly unaware of Hua Lianxi's subtle movements. His resolute chin was held high, his gaze sharp as a torch, fixed on the gleaming elevator doors.
A "ding" sounded as the doors opened. The strangers inside exited first. Narrowing her eyes, Hua Lianxi watched Kong Chengyi stride out with long legs, then she pressed the close door button and quickly hit the button for the first floor.
The doors began to close slowly. Hua Lianxi exhaled deeply, her legs going weak as she leaned against the wall, unwilling to have any further interaction with Kong Chengyi nor give him any opportunity to disparage her.
Just as the elevator doors closed, they suddenly reopened the next second. Kong Chengyi leaned one hand against the button panel, the other casually stuffed in his pocket.
"You?" Hua Lianxi was shocked, unable to believe the person who had just left returned so suddenly—and with a dark, angry expression.
"Not here to deliver soup? Or just can't bear to let go? Want to return to him immediately?" Kong Chengyi's face was gloomy as he stepped into the elevator and slammed the close door button, freezing the elevator.
Biting her lip slightly, Hua Lianxi squared her shoulders. "Whether yes or no, it has nothing to do with you, Mr. Kong!" She was clearly someone he had nothing to do with, yet he continued to twist every fact about her. Did he not realize he had the power to destroy her?
Pressing the button for the first floor, Kong Chengyi stepped forward, towering over Hua Lianxi. His long arms circled her slender waist, and he bent down with a dark expression. "Does he know I was at your place the night before last? Doesn't he mind?"
Among the scattered crowd, he clearly glimpsed the smile playing at Cheng Shaobai's lips. The considerate gestures fully displayed his deep affection — at this moment, Cheng Shaobai was wholeheartedly caring for her, and she silently accepted it, seemingly also enjoying the love.
That very night she'd tangled passionately with him, and now she was clinging to another man. Resentment and frustration flooded his chest, nearly driving him into a rage.
"Kong Chengyi, you bastard!" Hua Lianxi bit her lips fiercely, trembling with anger. She wriggled hard to break his hold, her bright eyes flashing with fury. He was the one who drunkenly barged into her home, yet now he almost accused her of seducing him. This twisted black-and-white world finally pushed her to the edge.
"Hua Lianxi, underestimated you, did I? Just got free of one benefactor and you've found another so fast? What's his special task this time? Paying better than me? That 'designer' identity is just a disguise, right?" Grabbing her hand that was struggling to pry his, Kong Chengyi pressed down on her, his heated breath brushing her skin as his sharp gaze caught the rosy flush on her neck.
"What I want is money. Whoever can pay is my benefactor!" Forcing back tears, Hua Lianxi curled her lips into a coy smile. "If Mr. Kong still needs private commissions, still needs a lover role, and the pay is generous enough," she paused, lowering her long, thick lashes, then said softly, "then I can abandon Cheng Shaobai and come back to you. You know, I don't care about the media digging—only so long as there's money and a black diamond card!"
A lover? Isn't that just a mistress? Since he always branded her as dirty and promiscuous, she might as well give up completely. As long as it ended this standoff, any means was acceptable.
Veins bulging on his forehead, twitching with Kong Chengyi's tight lips, his long fingers suddenly curled and forcefully kneaded her waist. "Hua Lianxi, I really didn't misjudge you!" No matter when, for her, possession was always about money—always looking for a benefactor. And yet he was angry and vexed over such a woman?
Releasing his grip, Kong Chengyi straightened and took a contemptuous step back, the curve of his lips lifting. "That night, I hadn't paid yet. Miss Hua, what's your price now?"
"Thanks for your past support. Give a discount. Mr. Kong is generous; I believe you won't disappoint!" Leaning against the wall, Hua Lianxi smiled brightly, showing her white teeth.
"Ding!" The elevator doors reopened and a wave of strangers poured in. Hua Lianxi tightened her grip on the thermos, still smiling at his dark face, showing no intention to leave.
Straightening her coat, Kong Chengyi coldly tossed out, "The check will be sent to your home!" then turned and strode out of the elevator.
The crowd quickly filled the elevator again, and the doors soon closed.
Her knees trembled uncontrollably. Hua Lianxi clenched her red lips tightly. With a "ding," she pushed through the crowd and rushed out of the elevator. Tears she had held back for so long finally spilled freely.
Unable to tell which floor she was on, she wiped her wet tears repeatedly with the back of her hand. Moments later, her vision blurred and she looked up to see the bathroom. She ran inside and slammed the door, trembling as she pressed against it, sobbing uncontrollably.
Though she had armed herself many times, warned herself repeatedly that they were no longer connected, and crafted herself as greedy and spoilt—under his dark gaze, she felt her entire heart gutted, the pain almost suffocating.
Hiding in the bathroom and sobbing for over half an hour, Hua Lianxi gradually regained composure. Taking the elevator back to Fang Xiufang's floor, she left the soup at the nurse's station and resolutely left the hospital.
Staring blankly at the curtain of rain and ignoring Cheng Shaobai's reminders, she walked numbly in the rain across the street, hailed a taxi, and headed straight to the convalescent home—completely forgetting her lunch appointment with Cheng Shaobai.
"Mom, when will you wake up? I want to take you home. We can be together, just the two of us, okay?" Holding Hua Zhenzhen's hands, Hua Lianxi's eyes filled with tears as she looked at her mother's graying temples. In that moment, she realized her mother was slowly growing old, and her heart ached.
Staring vacantly at the white walls, Hua Zhenzhen gave no reaction to Hua Lianxi's words. She muttered incoherently, her intentions impossible for others to decipher.
Quickly wiping away her wet tears, Hua Lianxi sniffled. "Mom, did you hear? I want to take you home—to our home. Please get better soon. Remember that I'm your precious one!" Even with a heart full of scars, as long as her mother lived, she had the courage to face life, able to stand again after momentary defeat.
Carefully recounting their shared memories—just like every other visit—Hua Lianxi worked hard to help Hua Zhenzhen escape her tangled, chaotic world, hoping one day she would leave the convalescent home and not have to endure such cruel treatments.
Cheng Shaobai waited anxiously at the hospital for nearly an hour, calling her repeatedly, only to be told she had already left and refusing his company at the convalescent home. She bluntly stated she only wanted to be with her mother.
Describing their past life vividly for an entire afternoon, Hua Lianxi finally left the convalescent home exhausted as night fell.
"Miss Hua, how is your mother doing?"
Rubbing her tired, sore eyes, the sudden greeting pierced her ears and she looked up in surprise.
"I'm Ding Jia, Yi's first love and current girlfriend!" Pushing open the car door, Ding Jia, wearing thin, high red heels, arrogantly stood before Hua Lianxi. Her makeup was sophisticated and glamorous, her smiling eyes radiating an intimidating coldness—completely unlike the weak appearance she showed in front of Kong Chengyi.
A strong scent of perfume hit Hua Lianxi's nose. She sneezed unexpectedly and took a step back, remaining silent.
"Looks like your mother will spend the rest of her life here. Miss Hua, you're so filial, yet you have to take care of a mad mother forever!" Ding Jia smiled coldly and glanced mockingly at the convalescent home behind Hua Lianxi.