Echoes of Lotus District | Chapter 72 | A Simple Hope | Novela.app

Yu Mo received Liu Zhiyan’s call before she even saw the overwhelming news reports. *A Rising Star in Tech: The Epoch-Making Creator of the AI World.* Liu Zhiyan spoke modestly, merely saying his project had achieved some "incremental results." Had she not seen the news, Yu Mo, even with her vivid imagination, could never have guessed that these "incremental results" were so earth-shattering. "Many investors wanted to fund us, but I chose my junior fellow. Yu Mo, you might know him. He said he’s your husband." "Ex-husband." Life truly was a series of narrow encounters. "No offense, but I’m curious what kind of man your boyfriend is—the one who made you give up on both me and Xue Shen." "Liu Zhiyan, you are both incredibly powerful people. You are destined to change the world. You are acutely aware of your advantages; even if your upbringing makes you humble, a sense of superiority inadvertently leaks out. You feel that you and Xue Shen are bound to be more exceptional than others, don't you? But in this world, besides brilliant people like you, there are also the 'extras' like us who serve as the background. We have love, too." Liu Zhiyan felt a pang of shame. "I’m sorry. I apologize for my arrogance. Can you tell me why it’s him?" "You and Xue Shen are like over-packaged gifts—beautiful and eye-catching, wrapped in layer upon layer of gorgeous paper, each one shimmering. But what’s actually inside? Perhaps nothing at all. The man I love is different. He is like the wild grass on the ground—tenacious, vibrant, primitive, and full of vitality. He gives me hope. I chose him because he makes me see hope; he makes me feel that I am wonderful. No matter how much you two try to hide it, you occasionally make others feel like worthless weeds." Liu Zhiyan hung up. Perhaps he spent a few seconds pondering what kind of "love" she was talking about, but the thought circled his mind once and vanished without a trace. His world was too crowded; he didn't need these convoluted, elusive things to distract him. His journey was toward places humanity had never reached—that was his North Star. *** The weather gradually warmed as the season of lush grass and flitting warblers arrived. Qi Lian entered the house, kicking the security door shut with his foot, his keys still in his hand. The next second, he sensed someone in the room, and his body stiffened. Before he could react, the bedroom door swung open, and a pink figure rushed toward him. Joy erupted in his eyes. Without a second's hesitation, he dropped his keys and tool bag, extending his arms to firmly catch the person charging at him like a cannonball. The soft touch and familiar scent made his head spin. "I'm dirty, my clothes are dirty," he muttered, even as he pulled her tightly into his arms. Yu Mo buried her head in the crook of his neck, her tone spoiled and willful. "I don't care. Why are you just getting back now?" "When did you get here? Why didn't you call me?" He grew anxious. She was already wearing her loungewear, so she must have been here for a while. "How long can you stay?" Since Qi Lian was discharged from the hospital, their meetings had to be squeezed into whatever gaps they could find. Staying the night had become an almost impossible luxury. "How long do you want me to stay?" Yu Mo asked, nibbling persistently at his lips. Qi Lian felt helpless, yet he felt something wicked stirred by her words. He felt an uncontrollable urge to tear something apart. He squeezed her curves and said fiercely, "What do I want? Do you really want to hear it? I want to tie you up. I wouldn't give a damn who came for you; I wouldn't care about a single thing." "Mm, you call the shots. Then tie me up." Hearing this, Qi Lian hoisted her up, making her half a head taller than him. He stared at Yu Mo, his eyes beneath his high brow bones glowing green like a wolf cub’s. His expression was dark and heavy, looking quite intimidating. "Really? Once those words are out, there's no taking them back," he said, enunciating every syllable. Yu Mo reached out to touch his furrowed brow. In the beginning, he had always looked like this. She had thought he was such a difficult person to get along with. Who would have known that one day he would treat her like a precious gem and love her more than his own life? She nodded and kissed his eyes, which instantly softened. "Qi Lian, there are some things I want to tell you," she said the next moment. Qi Lian’s footsteps stopped. The fire burning in his chest was instantly doused with cold water; a part of him even seemed to collapse, leaving a void for the cold wind to whistle through. That familiar pain returned, leaving his limbs weak. He carried her over and slowly sat down on the sofa. It took a moment before he found the strength to speak. "Go ahead." Yu Mo pulled back a few centimeters, looking at him with confusion. "What’s wrong? All of a sudden?" Qi Lian wanted to gently push her face away, but she stubbornly insisted on staring at him. The solemnity and caution in his eyes suddenly stung her heart. A sharp pang shot through her, and she quickly reached out to pat his face, comforting him softly, "It’s not a bad thing. Don't worry." He pulled her into a tight embrace. Her ear was pressed against his chest, and the frantic rhythm of his heart made her uneasy. "Qi Lian, it’s okay. It’s okay." It took a long time for Qi Lian to find his voice. "Don't talk to me like that next time, unless you want to kill me. I don't want to hear those words ever again for the rest of my life." "Okay, okay, I won't say it again. You have to trust me. I won't leave you alone again. I give you my word." Many people who have never been ravaged by life assume that the future will be smooth sailing when they envision it—that as long as they work hard, a beautiful life awaits. They don't realize that life never plays by the rules. When he was in his first year of high school, he imagined becoming a doctor. He never thought he would drop out to become an apprentice on a construction site. His father had cherished him and his mother, wanting nothing more than to give them a better life; he never imagined he would leave them halfway, separated by death, leaving a widow and an orphan to taste almost every bitterness the world had to offer. "I knew from a very young age that the people you care about most, the things you want most—you don't get the final say. It’s no use even if you fight with your life; it depends on Heaven’s will. I’m probably someone Heaven doesn't like. You’re probably the opposite, so you don't understand my fear." "It’s okay, Qi Lian. I’ll share some of my good luck with you. We’ll be fine from now on." "No need. Keep your good luck for yourself. I want you to live a life free of illness and disaster, to be happy, and to be surrounded by children and grandchildren when you’re old." *If someone has to be unlucky, let it be me. I’m used to it anyway; I’ve got thick skin.* "Two days ago, I went to see my father," she said softly. They had met in Yu Shenming’s office. That morning, Yu Mo hadn't called her father until she reached the hotel downstairs. Yu Shenming was about to start a meeting and didn't know what his daughter was up to. He said affectionately, "Then get up here quickly. Always causing trouble." Yu Shenming’s office was on the second floor of the hotel. It had deep blue carpets, white blinds, and a black desk. There were no calligraphies, paintings, or photos with leaders—it was pragmatic and low-key. Father and daughter sat facing each other. Yu Shenming couldn't help but notice Yu Mo’s expression; her small face was tense. He made small talk. "Momo, you’ve been looking well lately. Knowing you and your mother are doing fine puts my mind at ease." Yu Mo nodded, her hands tucked under her thighs, inconspicuously picking at the leather sofa beneath her. The contours of their faces and eyes were somewhat similar, but on a man, these features could only be described as delicate; they had nothing to do with being handsome, as they lacked sharp angles. "What is so important? Have you told your mother?" Yu Mo shook her head, her fingers pausing for a second. "Dad, do you think I’m an impulsive person who does things without regard for the consequences?" Yu Shenming shook his head. "Do you believe that every decision I make is carefully considered and weighed from all sides?" Yu Shenming looked at her, not answering immediately. The last trace of a smile vanished from his face, his eyes becoming unreadable. He turned his gaze out the window for a while, watching the sunlight spill onto the glass of the opposite building. A sense of helplessness rose within him. Being middle-aged was truly exhausting. His partner had just been pulled back from the brink of death, standing atop a metaphorical landmine that could relapse at any moment. The daughter he held in the palm of his hand was being rebellious, pursuing her own path, doing something absurd that he couldn't quite forbid. In the conference room nearby, a room full of subordinates was waiting for him to make a decision. In this building, nearly a hundred people relied on him for their livelihoods. He let out a long sigh in his heart, suppressing those emotions. He looked at Yu Mo and said with certainty, "You can't go on with Xue Shen." He watched his daughter’s mouth hang open in surprise; it opened and closed, but not a single word came out. His daughter was truly beautiful. Even in this stunned state, her beauty was striking. He was so proud of her; he even felt she was worthy of any man. She was just too stubborn—a quiet, inconspicuous stubbornness, like flowing water. You could see it and know it was there, but you had no way to grasp it. "Whether from the perspective of a man or a father, I think Xue Shen is a very suitable son-in-law. If he treated you poorly, that would be one thing, but for a man like him to humble himself to this extent for you... and you have your childhood history. Momo, I’m telling you from experience that as far as couples go, you’ll find it hard to find someone more suitable. Although you feel you aren't being impulsive right now, I’m worried you’re just being spoiled by his affection." Yu Mo sat bolt upright, her eyes fixed on a small stain on the carpet. The shape actually looked like a heart. She said decisively, "No. I know exactly what I’m doing. I don't need his protection either. This past year was to prove to you all that I can rely on myself. I know he’s very capable and wonderful, and he’s very good to me, but he can't give me what I want. Dad, do you want me to compromise just to keep the peace?" Yu Shenming had countless practical interests he wanted to analyze for this daughter who had grown up without ever wanting for food or clothing, but when she said she wasn't happy, he was powerless. Over the past year, she had used her actions to prove that while their support was preferred, the outcome would be the same without it. This daughter of his was not to be underestimated. "Our family hasn't reached the point where we can't afford to eat. Fine. As long as an ordinary family is free from want, that’s enough. Follow your heart. Only the two people in a marriage know the truth of it. If you think it’s not good, then it’s not good. Your mother and I can still look after you, after all." Before she left, he instructed, "Don't tell your mother yet. I’ll find a way to get her to come home and spend more time with me." *** Yu Mo leaned against Qi Lian, telling him the details of the encounter. Qi Lian cupped her face with his large hands and sighed. "Your father probably feels the same way I do right now—unable to control you, yet worried to death. You went and did something so important all by yourself without a word. What if your father hadn't been rational? What if he had been consumed by rage? What would you have done?" "I’m not afraid. This is something I had to face sooner or later. It has nothing to do with you; it’s a problem I had to solve myself. Telling you would have only made you worry." He pressed his forehead against hers. "You’re clearly bold enough to swallow the sky, yet every day I feel like you’re the most pitiful thing in the world." "I think my mother has probably noticed something, too. There’s no reason my father could guess while she remains completely oblivious. Lately, I’ve caught her staring at me blankly when I look up. A few times, she’s said, 'Momo, you’ve been very happy lately. I hope you’re always this happy.' She even gave me a huge sum of money for no reason. When I asked why, she said, 'A woman needs to have some money of her own.' At first, I was worried it was because of her health, but now I’m not so sure." She threw herself into Qi Lian’s arms, seeking warmth. "I’m a little apprehensive. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing." Qi Lian simply tightened his arms, holding her close. Twilight shrouded the room. From downstairs came the shout of a loudspeaker, repeating in broken Mandarin: "Buying refrigerators, color TVs, washing machines..." Qi Lian stood up while holding Yu Mo. "Come on, let’s cook. No matter how big the problem is, we have to eat first." He didn't seem to have any intention of putting her down. He carried her past the dining table, grabbing a chair with one hand. "Let’s just have something simple today. I’ll make whatever’s in the fridge. Tomorrow I’ll buy some groceries and put back the weight you’ve lost." He placed the chair near the door and set Yu Mo down on it, affectionately patting her head before turning away. Yu Mo watched her man bend over the sink to wash vegetables. With his broad shoulders and long legs, the kitchen seemed even more cramped. She leaned back against the chair and asked, "How does your hand feel now?" Qi Lian shook a bunch of washed bok choy and placed it in a nearby basket. "It’s not a big deal. Some movements feel a bit off, but it doesn't affect anything else." "Peel some garlic for me. It’s getting late," he said. Yu Mo reached out to take the head of garlic and the small bowl he handed her. She set the bowl aside and used some strength to break the garlic apart. She said to Qi Lian, "Replacing the kitchen cabinets with white ones made the space look much bigger. Otherwise, the old kitchen always felt dirty." "They should have been replaced long ago. Those cabinets were in terrible shape, and the grease on the windows was so thick. If you hadn't been throwing a tantrum back then, I would have changed them then. I wouldn't care if I were renting to someone else, but it hurt me to have you live in a house like this. Is the garlic ready?" He turned around and saw the light shining on Yu Mo. Her head was lowered, her slender neck curved in a beautiful arc, and a few soft strands of hair drifted by her face as her long fingers wrestled with the garlic cloves. The sight made him lose himself for a moment. It felt as if a sail in his chest had been filled to the brim. He walked over, took the small bowl, and snatched the two unpeeled cloves from Yu Mo’s hand. He leaned down to look at her, his eyes full of laughter as he deliberately curled his lip in mock disdain. "You're slowing me down." Before Yu Mo could even kick him, he had already turned away with a laugh. Yu Mo watched him place the two cloves on the cutting board. With two *thwacks* of the steel knife and a quick shake, the skins fell right off. She pursed her lips. "Is my beauty fading that fast? Before, when you cooked, you’d tell me to go play in the bedroom. Later, you let me stay in the kitchen but wouldn't let me help. Now, I have to stay in the kitchen, and if I don't work fast enough, I get scolded. In a while, I expect I’ll be the one cooking and doing all the housework." Qi Lian was busy chopping vegetables, his hands never stopping. "In the future, if I find the meat isn't cut into even pieces, don't blame me if I flip the table. If I find hair on the floor, I’m going to smash the chairs. And if I come home one day and dinner isn't on the table, I’m going to be like the man upstairs and take a belt to my wife until she’s wailing." Yu Mo looked around. The only thing nearby was a rag on the stove. She picked it up and threw it hard at Qi Lian’s back. Qi Lian’s back shook with laughter. "So you know how it feels to hear such things? You just had to twist the truth to annoy me. Alright, alright, don't be mad. I’ll let you bully me back in a bit." *** By the time they had washed up and gotten into bed, the moon had climbed to the middle of the sky. Yu Mo got into bed first. Seeing Qi Lian walk in with his hair only half-dry, she said to him, "Can I have my eye mask back now?" Qi Lian went to the other side of the bed, picked up the eye mask from the table, and handed it to her before plopping down on the mattress. He had changed into a grey T-shirt that was worn soft from washing, giving him a faint scent of laundry detergent. As he climbed into bed, he said, "Here, it’s all yours. Everything in this house is yours." He turned halfway and leaned close to Yu Mo’s ear, saying in a roguish tone, "I’m yours, too. Every drop my body produces is yours, and you have ownership of me for the next few decades." Yu Mo couldn't stop laughing at the hot breath he deliberately puffed against her. Her neck shrank back from the ticklish sensation. She pushed him like she was pushing a mountain. "You’re not mine. You belong in the trash can." Qi Lian leaned in closer. "Whose? Even if I do, I’m just passing through your hands first. Sooner or later, I’ll give it all to you." When he acted indecent, it made one’s heart race and ears turn red. Yu Mo didn't take the bait; she wasn't much in the mood that night. Qi Lian understood. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Yu Mo took the opportunity to grab his hand, turning his palm over to look at it. She kissed the scar there. After his palm had healed, it left a scar. At first, there was some overgrowth, but after using scar gel for a while, it was much better now. A loud *thud* of something heavy hitting the floor suddenly came from upstairs without warning. Yu Mo flinched in fright. Qi Lian pulled her into his arms. Immediately after, the muffled sound of a woman’s suppressed crying drifted through the ceiling and into their ears. The crying was heart-wrenching. "Why does it have to be like this? Didn't they once make solemn vows to each other?" Qi Lian tucked her deeper into his embrace. "Don't think too much. This is their lot in life. It has nothing to do with love. Many people start dating in their teens before their feathers are even grown. They have sex after one meal, get married because of a kid, and start fighting as soon as they’re wed. They either fight until they divorce and neither wants the child, or they fight until one side can't fight anymore. Everyone has their own fate." The crying upstairs continued, rising and falling. "Duo'er, let’s move," Qi Lian said. "Can you bear to?" "You and the child can't live in a place like this. We should plan ahead. I was thinking, we’ll keep this small unit—it’s my roots, after all. We’ll sell the other few apartments, and with the money I’ve saved plus a small mortgage, we can buy a nice house in Jinning. What do you think? If you think a mortgage is too much pressure, we’ll buy a smaller one first. Whatever you want, I’ll listen to you." "Okay, then let me decide. Don't worry about it. But I think I’ll miss this place later." "Aren't we keeping this unit? In the future, our family can come and stay here once in a while." *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 上海青 | Shanghai greens / Bok choy | A common green vegetable. 疤克 | Scar gel | A brand of silicone scar treatment (Bake). 晋宁 | Jinning | A place name (likely a city or district). 朵儿 | Duo'er | Qi Lian's intimate nickname for Yu Mo.