Nan Yu didn't answer immediately. She said she needed to think it over.
The world is full of uncertainties, and she couldn't predict her future plans. But since Zhou Yu had extended an olive branch to her, there was no need for her to cut off all her retreats. As for Sister Min...
She felt her thoughts were in a complete mess for the moment.
The wonderful future she had planned was suddenly directionless. She was like a headless fly, bumping around aimlessly.
Zhou Yu didn't force her. He just told her to take good care of herself and contact him whenever she had an idea.
After leaving the ward, Zhou Yu made a phone call.
The person on the other end answered quickly. "Did you see her?"
"I did. She seems to be in good spirits," Zhou Yu replied thoughtfully. "But her mood is rather low. She doesn't seem very willing to agree to my suggestion."
It was normal for her to be in a low mood.
In the past half - month, Tan Linyuan had also been going through a tough time.
Before leaving Jingbei, he had checked the surveillance footage of that highway section and confirmed that the driver had lost control due to fatigue driving.
He wished more than anyone that it had been a premeditated murder.
He had also investigated all of the driver's contacts, including his family situation. There were no problems, and there was no sign of premeditation against them.
The driver even had a son with a congenital disability who relied on his father's driving income for support. Their family was far from wealthy.
Now that this tragic news had befallen them, it was like adding insult to injury for the driver's family.
All the facts indicated that it was just a sudden disaster.
Tan Linyuan was silent for a long time before asking someone to send some money to console the family.
After that, he returned to Jiangcheng.
When Liang Yi learned what he was going to do, even he, a fun - loving person, was shocked. "Are you serious?"
Tan Linyuan's expression was calm. "What do you think?"
Under normal circumstances, Liang Yi would have been too lazy to interfere in others' emotional affairs.
But Tan Linyuan had been planning for so long and had set up such a huge game. Although it was also for himself, most of it was for Nan Yu.
Now, to see him overturn the whole game by himself, no one could stand it.
Liang Yi clicked his tongue. "I didn't expect you to be a heartbreaker, even worse than me."
Then, realizing it was inappropriate, he quickly corrected himself. "No, I'm not a heartbreaker now. I'm very devoted."
"You're so heartless. Aren't you afraid she'll resent you?" Liang Yi pouted. "She just had a miscarriage, and her husband is talking about divorce and dividing the property. Aren't you afraid she'll kill herself?"
"Otherwise, should I really wait until I kill her?" Tan Linyuan paused and then said softly, "I'll find someone to watch over her and prevent her from doing anything stupid."
It would get better after this period.
---
Even after she had fully recovered, Nan Yu didn't mention going back to Jiangcheng.
Qu Jiaran was about to reach her due date, and Nan Yu took on the responsibility of taking care of her.
But Qu Jiaran advised her to go back. "Qi Zhu is taking care of me. You should go back and take care of your own business."
She added, "Tan Linyuan is really something. He left you in Jingbei and didn't care. Is there something so important in Jiangcheng that he can't come?"
Nan Yu didn't say a word.
She took out her phone and scrolled to his name.
In these days, she had thought about contacting him.
But she didn't know how to start the conversation.
That day in the ward, her reaction must have hurt him.
But it wasn't her intention. She just couldn't accept the news of the baby's death at that moment, and her body reacted before her emotions.
Afterwards, if she tried to explain, it would seem like she was just covering up.
Qu Jiaran saw her looking dejected while staring at the phone, so she snatched the phone from her hand. "What can't a couple talk about clearly? If you don't call, I will."
Before Nan Yu could stop her, Qu Jiaran dialed the number.
As soon as the call was connected, Qu Jiaran stuffed the phone back into her hand. "Quick, tell him you miss him and want to see him right away. Tell him you two should share the same quilt and have another baby."
Nan Yu: "..."
She still picked up the phone. "Hello?"
The other end of the phone was very quiet, only the man's deep breathing could be heard.
It seemed that he had been waiting for this call.
Nan Yu didn't know how much of what Qu Jiaran had said he had heard. She could only force herself to say, "Um, I..."
"Are you better?" The man's tone was very cold, so cold that she felt a bit strange.
It must be because they hadn't talked for a long time, Nan Yu thought.
Nan Yu took a deep breath and tried to sound amiable. "Yes, I'm much better. Are you very busy in Jiangcheng? You haven't come to see me for so long."
She had intended to say it in a joking tone, but her throat started to choke as soon as the words came out.
Why hadn't he been willing to come and see her for so long?
On the other end of the phone, when he heard this, his breathing stopped for a moment.
How could he not hear her grievance?
If he could, he would have flown to her side immediately.
But he couldn't.
Tan Linyuan's Adam's apple rolled, and his voice became even colder. "I'll send someone to pick you up and take you back to Jiangcheng."
It was a cold, business - like tone.
Nan Yu was stunned for two seconds. She opened her mouth to say something, but the other end had already hung up.
She felt that something was wrong.
Qu Jiaran didn't know what they had talked about. She asked curiously, "So, is he very worried about you? Is he going to fly over to see you right away?"
"… No." Nan Yu shook her head and was momentarily in a daze. "He said he would send someone to pick me up and take me back to Jiangcheng."
"Then you should go back quickly." Qu Jiaran immediately started to urge her. "I don't need you to accompany me here. Come and see me after I give birth."
She winked at Nan Yu. "I hope I can hear the good news that you're pregnant again after I give birth."
Just like that, Nan Yu got on the plane back to Jiangcheng with a heavy heart.
When she got off the plane, someone was there to pick her up.
Before getting into the car, she still had some hope. But when she got into the car and saw the empty back seat, her heart sank a bit more.
He didn't come to pick her up.
On the way to meet Tan Linyuan, Nan Yu had thought of countless excuses in her mind: because of the sudden car accident, the Chamber of Commerce thought something had happened to him, so there was a lot of infighting and he needed to come back to take control; the Tan family was talking about him being a bad omen again, and he was arguing to prove himself; or maybe he was busy repairing the seal and trying to crack the secret behind the stone door.
The driver drove her to Tan Linyuan's villa.
This was where their story had started.
"Mr. Tan is waiting for you inside," the driver said.
Nan Yu thanked him and walked towards the villa.
The door of the villa was open, but the huge living room was empty.
Nan Yu went upstairs and, following her intuition, walked into the study.
Sure enough, Tan Linyuan was inside.
The man was wearing a dark - brown robe, chanting scriptures in front of the Buddha statue enshrined in the room.
At this moment, he had his back to her and seemed completely unaware of her presence.
His figure was still straight, but he was thinner than before, looking more lonely and desolate.
Nan Yu stood at the study door, suppressing the urge to run over and hug him. After being quiet for a few seconds, she said softly, "I'm back."
Hearing this, the man's movement paused, and then he slowly turned around.
His eyes were calm and cold, like they were covered in snow, looking at her without any emotion.
For some reason, Nan Yu always felt that Tan Linyuan was far away from her.
She felt uneasy and couldn't help walking towards him until she stood in front of him.
His expression remained unchanged.
Nan Yu took a deep breath and opened her arms. "Brother Tan, give me a hug."
She knew this would work on him.
Her voice had changed, sounding muffled, with a bit of grievance and attachment. "I miss you so much. I was alone in Jingbei..."
Tan Linyuan took a step back, avoiding her gesture of affection. His tone was non - committal. "Let's talk."