Chapter 512 - 512 Retreat

512 Retreat

For lunch, Qiao An took the volunteer food box and had a simple meal.

Xing Chen returned home and made food for three. When Xing Xiaoya saw the extra bowl of rice, she felt very uncomfortable. She questioned Xing Chen, “Brother Xing Chen, you clearly know that she’s just teasing you, but you let your heart sink with her. I have to remind you that I’m a woman and understand women’s hearts the best. Women more or less have some vanity. I really don’t know why she likes you. I think she’s bored here, so she’s looking for fun. When she leaves, everything here will return to peace. But can your heart still be as calm as before? Or will you think about her for the rest of your life and never be at peace?”

“Brother Xing Chen, you should grit your teeth. From now on, don’t see her or think about her. Wait for her to leave.”

Xing Chen was silent.

Yes, he also felt that Qiao An’s love was too unreal. The moment she saw him, she pestered him. This love at first sight had no solid foundation. It was like a building without a foundation that could easily collapse.

And she could pull back. What about him?

He would never be at peace for the rest of her life.

“You’re right. Xiaoya, I’ll stay in the wooden house on the mountain for a few days after dinner. I’ll go down the mountain after she leaves.”

Xing Xiaoya said excitedly, “Okay.”

After dinner, Xing Chen returned to his bedroom and packed a few clothes. Then he sat on the bed and stared into space.

He hesitated. Was he really going to give up this beautiful affinity? He clearly loved Qiao An so much.

He suddenly reached back and touched the uneven scars on his back. Then he closed his eyes in pain. His humble mind seized his heart. He no longer hesitated. Instead, he picked up his luggage and strode away.

At night, Qiao An returned to the aunt’s rented house.

She deliberately came to look for Xing Chen, but it was Xing Xiaoya who received her. “Qiao An, don’t look for Xing Chen in the future. My Brother Xing Chen is really afraid of you. In order to avoid you, he has already gone out to work.”

Qiao An felt as if she had been drenched from head to toe in cold water. It had not been easy for her to reunite with him, but he was avoiding her?

“Where did he go?” She would never let him leave her again.

Xing Xiaoya said angrily, “Qiao An, why are you so shameless? He doesn’t like you and he’s avoiding you. Why aren’t you willing to let him off?”

Qiao An vowed with red eyes, “I’ll haunt him for the rest of my life.”

Xing Xiaoya felt a sense of awe and panic. “Why are you so persistent?”

Qiao An walked up to her, almost pleading. “Tell me, where is he?”

Xing Xiaoya said, “He went down the mountain.”

“When?”

“About half an hour ago.”

Qiao An turned around and ran out.

Xing Xiaoya’s eyes were filled with an evil smile.

Qiao An ran all the way, roaring, “Xing Chen.”

But she ran for a long time, walked for a long time, and was exhausted. In the end, she sat at the intersection weakly and cried in despair.

The villager at the intersection asked her kindly, “Miss, what’s wrong?”

Qiao An choked with red eyes. “Auntie, did you see a tall, handsome man go down the mountain?”

The auntie shook her head. “I didn’t see anyone. I sat here all afternoon and didn’t see anyone go down the mountain.”

Qiao An suddenly realized that she had been tricked by Xing Xiaoya.

She was so stupid. As soon as she heard that Xing Chen had left the mountain, she was so afraid of being separated from him that she didn’t realize that Xing Xiaoya would lie to her. She ran down the mountain in a daze.

Now, she was so tired that she almost collapsed. She couldn’t walk at all.

The sky was completely dark. How difficult would it be for her to go up the mountain?

However, she still had a goal in her heart. She was infinitely close to Xiaoran and wanted to bring him home.

It was with such strong conviction that Qiao An tried to stand. She climbed the mountain step by step.

The next day, when the sky in the east turned bright, she finally returned exhausted after a full night of trekking.

She kicked open Xing Chen’s bedroom, but it was empty. Xing Chen was not at home at all.

Loss and despair surged through her. Qiao An fell to the ground dejectedly.

“Brother Xiaoran.” Tears streamed down her face.

On the mountain, Xing Xiaoya brought breakfast to Xingchen early in the morning. She told Xingchen excitedly, “Brother Xingchen, I knew Qiao An wasn’t that sincere to you. When I told her that you had already left the mountains, she left our house almost immediately.”

Xing Chen was stunned, and a huge sense of loss crossed his heart. Had Qiao An given up so easily?

Thinking that he would never see such an affectionate and beautiful Qiao An again, he felt as if all his strength had suddenly been sucked away.

He fell dejectedly onto the makeshift bed.

Xing Xiaoya comforted him. “I know you’re very sad, but it’s better to shorten the pain.”

Xing Chen nodded. “Xiaoya, go back first. I’ll pick more medicine on the mountain. The villagers need it.”

“Okay.”

When Xing Xiaoya returned home, she saw Qiao An sitting in Xing Chen’s bedroom like a haggard female ghost. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her eyes widened in shock.

“Qiao An, why haven’t you left?”

Qiao An glared at her. “Where did Xing Chen go?”

Xing Xiaoya said, “Don’t worry about where he’s going. In any case, he’s going to hide somewhere you can’t find him. Qiao An, do you know that your pursuit is just a burden to him? Can you stop pestering him?”

Qiao An thought for a moment. “I can stop chasing after him, but I have to let him know something.”

Xing Xiaoya looked at Qiao An’s quiet face and suddenly felt flustered. “What is it?”

“He doesn’t belong here.”

...

Qiao An turned to leave.

Xing Xiaoya’s face turned pale. Intuitively, Qiao An must know Xing Chen’s past.

No wonder the cold Brother Xing Chen seemed to have an affinity with her at first sight. No, she couldn’t let Qiao An bring Xing Chen back to his world.

Xing Xiaoya’s whereabouts had been strange for the past two days. Qiao An had stayed at the aunti’s house for two to three days, but she had not seen any trace of the Xing siblings.

Qiao An was very puzzled. One day, she asked the aunt, “Aunt, where did Xing Chen go? Why haven’t I seen him for the past two days?”

The aunt told her, “An’an, when Xing Chen is not at home, he will go to the back mountain to dig for herbs. There’s a small wooden house in the back mountain. Xing Chen might live there.”

Qiao An was delighted.

“Thank you, Aunt.”

Then she took a steamed bun and walked towards the back mountain.