Silence spread wordlessly between the two of them, freezing Song Huaizhi's throat like ice, rendering him speechless. He stood stock - still on the spot, his eyes deep but also a bit dazed. After Meng Ruyi finished speaking, she too lost her voice in that instant. She didn't know what to say or do, only feeling exhausted.
It was like facing a simple yet tricky problem. All one had to do was reach out to solve it, but the two of them just stared at each other. They timidly reached out their hands but quickly withdrew them as if burned by fire.
After a long while, Song Huaizhi looked up at the outside of the door without turning around.
Meng Ruyi heard his voice, hoarse as if blocked by something. He asked with difficulty, "But... but do you know what kind of enemies I'll have to face after going to the capital?"
"Yuyu, you know that you don't actually have to take risks with me in the capital." Song Huaizhi closed his eyes briefly, his long eyelashes drooping slightly, hiding the unease in his eyes. "I'm too selfish, dragging you into this muddy water."
"Muddy water?" Meng Ruyi let out a soft laugh. "If it weren't for you saving me, I don't even know where I'd be now."
These words were like a sharp thorn stabbing straight into Song Huaizhi's heart. His heart bled, and the pain made his fingers curl slightly. He was so anxious that he didn't know where to put his hands.
No.
It wasn't like this.
Hearing Meng Ruyi's words, Song Huaizhi should have found them ironic. So the expression on his face became even more painful, with a hint of struggle.
Every time he heard these words, he would remember all the times he had missed her in countless past reincarnations. He had brushed past the girl in front of him but didn't know how she was doing or what kind of treatment she had endured after he left.
Song Huaizhi was never a timid person, but just thinking about the still - silent small courtyard after he turned around each time made him feel as if his whole body was on fire. His fingertips trembled slightly.
"Wait."
Meng Ruyi looked at Song Huaizhi and realized something was wrong with him. She immediately stepped forward and stood in front of him, looking at his complexion in surprise.
"Brother Xiaosong, you..."
Song Huaizhi's handsome face was covered in cold sweat. He bit his lower lip tightly, and his lips turned pale. He stared blankly at his own hands, which trembled slightly as if he was caught in a nightmare.
Something was wrong!
Meng Ruyi was startled. Without caring about the taboo between men and women, she immediately grabbed Song Huaizhi's hand with her right hand and said, "Look at me, Brother Xiaosong."
Hearing this, Song Huaizhi mechanically raised his head and looked at Meng Ruyi like a puppet being manipulated.
"What are you worried about?"
Meng Ruyi was filled with confusion and worry. Looking at Song Huaizhi, she asked, "What are you afraid of?"
Meng Ruyi had never seen the person in front of her so vulnerable. Even when he was sick, his face had only shown calmness. Although his complexion was pale, his expression never showed a trace of slack.
The memories she had deliberately forgotten came back at this moment. Meng Ruyi suddenly remembered Song Huaizhi when she woke up after that coma.
The Song Huaizhi at that moment overlapped with the person in front of her. Even though several years had passed and the once - green young man had grown into a calm young man, at this moment, his expression was exactly the same as then.
What on earth was he hiding?
Meng Ruyi wrapped her other hand around Song Huaizhi's hand, wordlessly passing the warmth from her hands. She looked at him nervously.
Song Huaizhi felt the warmth on his hand. Meng Ruyi's hands were very small. When the two of them held his right hand together, although it was just a simple hand - hold, the warmth seemed to spread throughout his whole body, driving away all the panic in his heart.
"Anyway." Seeing that he finally came to his senses, Meng Ruyi looked at their intertwined hands and then continued, "Going to the capital is my own decision. I also have my own secrets, which I can't tell Brother Xiaosong for the time being."
"I know that Brother Xiaosong also has his own secrets, which he can't tell me either."
Seeing Song Huaizhi looking up at her, Meng Ruyi said, "But anyway, you've saved me so many times. That's a fact. No matter what your purpose or calculation was when you saved me."
"Song Huaizhi, you finally saved me. If you don't focus on the present but only look into the future, everything will be unclear."
Song Huaizhi was greatly shocked.
Thousands of thoughts rushed into his mind. After thinking for a long time, a smile finally appeared on his face. He said to Meng Ruyi, "I'm too narrow - minded, confined by my own thoughts."
"However, there's one thing I'm sure of." Song Huaizhi said, his voice light. His eyes gradually relaxed, showing a hint of a smile, as if sweeping away the dust that had covered his heart for a long time. "When I saved you, I just simply wanted to save you."
The misunderstanding was cleared up.
Although Meng Ruyi had more doubts in her heart, it couldn't change her current light - hearted mood.
The previous heaviness disappeared in an instant. Meng Ruyi finally let out a sigh of relief. Seeing the smile reappear on Song Huaizhi's face, she returned a light - hearted smile.
Then, when she lowered her head, she suddenly remembered that her two hands had been tightly wrapped around Song Huaizhi's hand, leaving no gap at all.
It was okay just now. Meng Ruyi really didn't feel anything. But now that she came to her senses, she felt as if she had been burned by fire and quickly withdrew her hands.
The coolness of Song Huaizhi's hand still lingered on her palm, but she felt as if she had been thrown into a steamer, and her whole body started to steam.
No way! It would have been okay if it was just one hand! But she had put both hands on it!
Meng Ruyi: "..."
[Ah! They're holding hands! Rounding it up, they'll get married tomorrow!]
[Who's screaming?! It's me! The young lovers are holding hands and expressing their feelings! Xiaosong only shows his vulnerability in front of Yuyu! They're a perfect match!]
[So pitiful. I'm the only one focusing on the plot? What exactly happened? What secrets do they both have?! (Frantically scratching)]
[I love this! Yuyu is holding Xiaosong's hand. If it were somewhere else...]
[Hey! Your car wheels are running over my face!]
A blush spread across Meng Ruyi's face. She turned around in a hurry and mumbled, "Come and sit down. Let's talk slowly."
"Okay." Song Huaizhi chuckled. He unconsciously rubbed the back of his right hand and then slowly followed behind her.
After sitting down, Meng Ruyi fell silent again.
Wait, what was she going to ask Brother Xiaosong?
She had completely forgotten all the previous questions and almost couldn't remember the content of the manuscript in Song Huaizhi's hand. It was all because of the previous emotional roller - coaster!
Meng Ruyi sighed in her heart and began to wrack her brains on how to start the conversation.
Seeing the expression on her face, Song Huaizhi couldn't help but smile. He chuckled softly and said gently, "It's okay."
"I understand what you and Aunt Meng mean."
"Okay. Then in a few days, we'll make a plan according to what's written here and then transfer the things back?"