Chapter 22 - The Last Time

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Gu Mingcheng paused. He had already forgotten about this matter. He took the bag and frowned. “Isn’t it just a cup? Why is the bag so tight? It’s not a bomb.”

Cao Ling wanted to explain but the door was closed. He, who was almost hit in the nose, felt even more wronged. He felt that it was impossible for President Gu to simply want couple’s cups. There must be something important behind this.

Cao Ling, whose imagination had run wild, could not understand what was wrong with President Gu.

Gu Mingcheng threw the bag on the table and did not have the thought of opening it to take a look. He sat on the sofa expressionlessly. Time passed second by second. Damn it! He suddenly cursed.

He stood up and picked up the package at the table. He had a look of disdain on her face, but he still carefully tore the tape on it.

…

Ye Zhiqing squatted in the corner and did not move even after night fell. Memories of the past surfaced in her mind and she felt very cold. She had worked hard for so many years. It seemed like she had changed everything, but it also seemed like nothing had changed.

Thunder suddenly sounded outside the window, followed by the sound of raindrops hitting the ground. The sound became louder and louder. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the room were smashed. Ye Zhiqing was still hugging her legs and curled up in the corner.

The door was opened and a figure walked in. The lightning outside the window shone on the room. Gu Mingcheng then saw Ye Zhiqing in the corner. Her fragile figure was reflected in his eyes. Even he did not realize how gentle his gaze was.

He sighed and sat beside her. “Why would Ye Zhiqing, who can even accept herself having cancer, be afraid of an orphanage?”

Ye Zhiqing’s head shook slightly before she regained her composure.

Gu Mingcheng did not urge her and waited patiently.

After a long while, a sullen voice sounded in the room.

“I’ve lived in an orphanage since I was a child. The director of the orphanage was a very good person, but one day, she passed away. A family came to the orphanage. The new director was a very good man who treated us very well, but… he got into a car accident to save me. From then on, the orphanage fell into the hands of his wife. She took away all the money, and all the children were forced to go out and beg… All of this is my fault.”

Gu Mingcheng did not expect such a past. These things happened too long ago, and the information Cao Ling had found did not show it. So this was the reason why she had always indulged in Lin Xiu?

“So, Lin Xiu is that man’s wife?”

Ye Zhiqing did not reply, but her silence bespoke the truth.

“This isn’t your fault. Although I don’t know what happened back then, you were still young. I know you regret it very much.” This was the first time Gu Mingcheng comforted someone. His words were awkward, but it made Ye Zhiqing feel a little warm.

She raised her head. The lights in the room were not on, and Gu Mingcheng’s face could not be seen in the darkness. This made her feel a little safe. Today, Gu Mingcheng was standing in front of her to protect her, and it made her feel uneasy. She suddenly had the desire to say the words that she had not said for so many years.

“They all think that I care about my reputation, so they think I’m afraid that they’ll tell people that I was at the orphanage, but I just think that if I was the one who died back then, would everything have been different? I saw those children starve to death because they didn’t find any food. I saw Guo Aiqiang bully them, but I had no choice. I couldn’t even save myself. Besides, Lin Xiu was right. I owe them a life.”

If that man had been alive, he would have definitely been able to protect the children in the orphanage. If he had been alive, Lin Xiu and Guo Aiqiang would not have become like this. These thoughts tortured her day after day. She could not do anything to Lin Xiu because she was the real sinner.

Gu Mingcheng hugged the slightly distraught Ye Zhiqing and said seriously, “It’s not your fault. Even if he was still alive, Lin Xiu and Guo Aiqiang would think of ways to hurt these children. You’ve already done very well. Leave the rest to me, okay?”

Ye Zhiqing raised her head. The lightning outside the window happened to light up, and the two of them saw the person opposite them clearly. Ye Zhiqing saw the heartache in his eyes, and an unfamiliar feeling filled her entire body. Her eyes turned red, and she hurriedly lowered her head to suppress the emotions in her heart..