212 So, You Regret It?
The two of them looked at each other and were both stunned for a moment.
Surprise flashed in Ruan Xiaoshuang’s eyes and she quickly ran to the bed. “Minglang, you’re awake?”
Sang Minglang stared at her, his eyes flickering. When he spoke, his voice was so hoa.r.s.e that it sounded like another person, “So you weren’t seriously injured at all?”
Alas, there was no such thing as a last meeting.
Ruan Xiaoshuang’s footsteps stiffened and she felt a little uncomfortable. “I was injured, but it wasn’t a big deal.”
Sang Minglang raised his brows in self-mockery. “I really overestimated Ruan Cheng’s moral bottom line.”
He had thought that no matter how ruthless Ruan Cheng was, he would not joke about his sister’s life.
However, it seemed that Ruan Cheng had no morals at all. To think that when he received the news, he actually believed it.
Even though he knew it was a trap, he still wanted to see Ruan Xiaoshuang for the last time without hesitation.
“I’m sorry, Minglang.”
Ruan Xiaoshuang felt guilty and apologetic. Her eyes were red. “I’m the one who harmed you.”
Sang Minglang did not reply, and shook the chain around his wrist slightly. “What is this? Did Ruan Cheng do it?”
Ruan Xiaoshuang didn’t dare to look at Sang Minglang and said in a low voice, “Minglang, you can’t go out now…”
“Ruan Cheng didn’t kill me. He locked me up and even asked you to come see me and bring me medicine.”
Sang Minglang was deep in thought. “If he hates me for providing evidence to the police and causing him to go to jail, he shouldn’t be so kind to me, right?”
He looked at Ruan Xiaoshuang and suddenly realized something. His lips twitched before he said, “Are you taking revenge on me for breaking up with you? Are you going to make me your exclusive s.e.x toy and humiliate me?”
Ruan Xiaoshuang lowered her eyes and bit her lip. Although Sang Minglang’s words were a little jesting, her big brother was probably thinking the same.
That day, when she went to beg Ruan Cheng, she had to go through a lot of pain before she could force her big brother to agree to let her take care of Sang Minglang.
“Sang Minglang’s life is still somewhat useful. Don’t worry, I won’t let him die.”
Ruan Cheng said indifferently, “Since you like him so much, then let him stay in the residence. There’s no harm in making you happy. I’d like to see how long your so-called ‘like’ can last.”
In the past, Sang Minglang was not willing to marry his sister, and in the future, he would not be able to marry her.
He was only fit to be locked up and be a prisoner to make his sister happy. A life of imprisonment without daylight would wear away his dignity and courage as a man sooner or later, and that would make him submit to his sister.
What people were most afraid of was to ask for something but not get it. Not being able to get what one wanted was something much more memorable. However, that might not be the case if they interacted day and night.
Memories would beautify the past to a certain extent, but reality would be crueler.
The person Ruan Xiaoshuang had fallen in love with was the Sang Minglang of the past.
He would stay locked up like a dog and forever be held as a pathetic prison would naturally fade.
By the time Sang Minglang was alive, he would probably be no different from being dead.
—
Even though Ruan Cheng didn’t say some of his words clearly. However, Ruan Xiaoshuang understood what he meant.
She thought, how long could she hold on for? Perhaps, it would depend on how long Sang Minglang could hold on for.
No one knew what would happen in the future. The only thing she could cherish was the present.
Ruan Xiaoshuang did not respond to Sang Minglang’s words. Instead, she walked to the bed and sat down. Her voice was gentle. “Drink your medicine first, okay?”
Sang Minglang looked at her fixedly for a moment, then raised his hand to take the bowl of medicine. However, this action pulled on the injuries on his body, and he frowned in pain.
“I’ll feed you. Don’t move.”
Ruan Xiaoshuang scooped up some medicine and blew on it gently, bringing it to Sang Minglang’s lips.
Sang Minglang hesitated for two seconds, but still drank the medicine with Ruan Xiaoshuang’s hand.
His injuries weren’t light. He had both external and internal injuries, but his mind was clear. He wouldn’t go so far as to make things difficult for himself. Looking at the current situation, the earlier his body recovered, the more advantageous it would be for him.
After drinking the medicine, Ruan Xiaoshuang wiped the medicine from the corner of his mouth and helped him lie down.
“Ruan Xiaoshuang,”
Sang Minglang’s voice was deep and hoa.r.s.e. “Can you go see my sister and tell her that I’m still alive so that she won’t worry?”
His sudden disappearance must have driven her father and sister crazy.
Ruan Xiaoshuang was silent for a moment. “Minglang, I… I can’t.”
She had promised Ruan Cheng that she would not reveal any information about Sang Minglang to anyone. This was a condition that she had to abide by in order to visit Sang Minglang.
Once she broke it, not only would she not be able to see Sang Minglang in the future, he would probably be in trouble again.
Sang Minglang seemed to have expected this result as well.
He smiled and said, “Ruan Xiaoshuang, we’re really doomed. If only we didn’t fall in love back then, nothing would have happened between us.”
He had once vowed to his sister that he would never fall into the same pit twice.
However, in the end, because of Ruan Xiaoshuang, he had voluntarily fallen into the same pit.
Ruan Xiaoshuang’s face turned pale. “So, you regret it?”
“I can’t say I regret it.”
Sang Minglang laid down and did not look at her. He looked at the ceiling above him and thought of the scene when he and Ruan Xiaoshuang met many years ago.
It was raining cats and dogs. At that time, Ruan Xiaoshuang didn’t bring an umbrella. She hugged her bag and hid beside a noticeboard on campus. Her hair and clothes were drenched from the rain.
Sang Minglang happened to pa.s.s by with an umbrella and glanced at the girl. They were both Chinese, so there was an inexplicable sense of closeness.
In addition, she looked like a drenched chicken, which made her look really pitiful.
Sang Minglang hesitated for a moment, but he still walked in front of her and shielded her with the umbrella. “Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.”
Just like that, the two of them met and grew closer.
—
The room was very quiet, and the lights were dim.
After Sang Minglang said that “I can’t say I regret it’, he did not speak again.
Ruan Xiaoshuang waited for a long time, so long that she thought he wouldn’t say anything.
When she got up and was about to leave, she could hear Sang Minglang’s voice saying indifferently, “However, if we were to go back to that day… I will leave immediately.”
He wouldn’t stop for her, and he wouldn’t send her off.
The past of meeting and falling in love with Ruan Xiaoshuang was beautiful. However, if things turned out as his sister had dreamed, he would have to sacrifice his family, his sister, his father, himself, and Shen Hanyu.
Due to this, he would rather not have known Ruan Xiaoshuang.
Ruan Xiaoshuang felt as if her heart had been stabbed. A sharp pain hit her, and she staggered away as she subconsciously covered her heart.
—
In the evening, Sang Qianqian had just left the hospital when she saw Xie Shi’an standing under the Sycamore tree.
Sang Qianqian walked over. “Is there something you need?”
Xie Shi’an had not seen her since she left with Shen Hanyu at the Ruan family
s residence.
His gaze landed on Sang Qianqian without blinking and he said gently, “I just happened to pa.s.s by and came to see you. Still no news of your brother?”
Sang Qianqian shook her head. “No.”
Her eyes were extremely sad.
Xie Shi’an recalled the day Sang Minglang went missing. Sang Qianqian was anxious and lost, her eyes filled with tears.
She loved her brother very much. She must have suffered a lot during this period.
“Qianqian, don’t worry. Your brother will definitely return safely.”
Xie Shi’an had made up his mind and took two steps towards Sang Qianqian, standing very close to her.
Sang Qianqian was stunned and subconsciously wanted to retreat. However, Xie Shi’an put his arm around her shoulder, leaned close to her ear, and said something in an extremely low voice.