Chapter 17
Ye Ming looked at the woman in front of him and his eyes betrayed a hint of memories.
They had met a total of three times.
The first time was when Qin Yi’s ident.i.ty had been revealed. This woman had appeared in front him, high and mighty, and used his job to threaten him {T/N: I think implies she told him she can get him fired and make him unemployable} and tell him to leave her son. She didn’t even need to use money to get rid of him, she only needed to casually say a few words and take everything from him. In her eyes he was nothing but a lowly ant, no effort was required to trample him to death.
That was the first time he had truly understood the difference between the two of them and the difference between him and Qin Yi. It was like the difference between heaven and earth. Even so he had rejected her without hesitation… although he may have nothing, but Qin Yi loved him so he definitely wouldn’t be the one who would let go first. Qin Yi also lived up to his trust and persistence, he withstood immense pressure and chose to leave this city with him, abandoning everything.
The second time was in that far away small city. They had already been living there for half a year when this woman appeared again. She let down her arrogance and took out a blank cheque and with a mother’s ident.i.ty begged him to return her son to her.
At that time Ye Ming hesitated. It was not because of that cheque but because of the fragility in this woman’s eyes. Although she possessed a high and mighty ident.i.ty but when it came to Qin Yi she was just an ordinary mother. She didn’t like Ye Ming because she thought he was not worthy of her son. In her eyes her son deserved the best person in the world, and not a orphan that possessed nothing.
This world had never been one that was fair. Just as Qin Yi had been born possessing everything, the pride of the heavens, Ye Ming had been abandoned at the entrance of the orphanage from the moment he was born.
Ye Ming didn’t want to drag Qin Yi down to such a state. But he also couldn’t betray Qin Yi’s sacrifice. He couldn’t let Qin Yi become a laughing stock and… he also couldn’t let go of the man he loved.
From the moment they decided to leave together they had chosen to face all difficulties together. So this time he had still rejected her.
But then in the end… why did they still separate?
And now, this was their third meeting.
Ye Ming blinked a few times. He smiled wanly. “Since you’re here I suppose you already know that this time it’s not because I don’t want to leave.”
Mother Qin nodded her head. Before she came here she already knew what had happened between them.
Ye Ming smiled heavily. “If you can help me leave then I would thank you.”
Mother Qin looked at him deeply and said, “I can help you. But before I do that, I hope you can answer some of my questions.”
Ye Ming said, “Please ask.”
Mother Qin took a deep breath. “Back then when I came to see you, you rejected my cheque. You even said that you would definitely not leave him. But in the end why did you still chose to leave, can you tell me the reason?”
Ye Ming’s expression tightened. He lowered his eyes and his expression was hesitant.
Mother Qin noticed it and said, “If you don’t answer my questions then I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
Ye Ming was surprised and said, “Do you want me to stay by his side? Isn’t the reason of you coming here today to make me leave him?”
Mother Qin smiled faintly. “No. Since he wants you to stay, you can just stay. Anyway you don’t have long to live. Why should I offend my son because of you and make him hate me?”
Ye Ming didn’t expect this answer. For a few moments he didn’t know how to react.
“However… if you are willing to tell me the real reason for your leaving, then I will perhaps consider helping you.” Mother Qin looked into Ye Mings eyes and spoke slowly.
Ye Ming paused and said, “I’m sick….”
Mother Qin said coldly, “I don’t want this kind of vague answer.”
Ye Ming’s expression changed and after a few moments he seemed to finally make up his mind. He took a deep breath and said, “Okay.”
Mother Qin placed her bag on the table in front of her. She said calmly, “Talk ba.”
Ye Ming paused and then his eyes showed a hint of of memories. He said, “I still remember three years ago when you came to find me, you had taken a plane for many hours. You didn’t even rest and rushed over straight away…. You were scared that Qin Yi wouldn’t see you so came to see me instead. You told me that you hadn’t seen Qin Yi for a long time. You hadn’t seen him or gotten a phone call from him… you only had one son and you begged me to return him to you.”
Ye Ming smiled softly. “Back then, for their son, this kind of high and mighty person came to beg a person they looked down on. You had lost to me. Do you know what kind of feelings I had back then?”
Mother Qin’s face was quite ugly. She said angrily, “You were happy and exultant?”
Ye Ming shook his head. “I was envious.”
Mother Qin froze.
Ye Ming smiled and said. “I was envious ah. I was envious that Qin Yi had this kind of mother who loved him so much. For him, she would bow her head to someone she despised. This was something I could only dream about. As soon as I was born I was abandoned by my parents. They probably never thought about taking me back.”
“I was really envious of Qin Yi. He had the things I didn’t have. A beautiful home and family who loved him. Such a perfect and happy life. However for me, he abandoned everything. How could ever be worthy of such a love? I could only give everything I had to him. Although I didn’t have much money but I could still still give him a home and all the love that I possessed.”
“But what if there came day when I can’t give him even this much… and not even be able to accompany him anymore?”
Mother Qin suddenly understood. Her eyes betrayed a complicated expression.
Ye Ming smiled. “If I can’t give him anything, then I should at least return those things which he originally should have had back to him, right? Give his original family… back to him.”
Mother Qin clenched her teeth. She said somewhat forcefully, “But you still didn’t need to… leave in that manner…”
A pained expression floated in Ye Ming’s eyes. Why would he chose to leave in this manner? Use this kind of cruel method of parting? Back then didn’t he have conflict in his heart?
But still he had chosen to do this.
Ye Ming raised his eyes and said quietly, “Back then the doctor told me that I didn’t have long to live.”
He looked at Mother Qin and opened his mouth. He said coldly and logically, “Back then if I didn’t leave, Qin Yi would have not hesitated to use all the money he had to help me get treatment. Everything he had worked so hard for would disappear like foam. The company wouldn’t be unable to keep going, and our livelihoods would be plunged into dire straits because of my illness. And then when we had spent all our money and he had no more options, then perhaps in order to give me better treatment options, he would go back to the Qin Family to beg you guys. But you guys wouldn’t help him. You would only wish that I would die more quickly so Qin Yi could return home again.”
“It’s impossible for me to keep living. Even if Qin Yi spent all his money and lost all his self-respect, he still would not be able to save me. Death was something that would come sooner or later. And then after I died, he would be estranged from you because of your coldness towards me and he would hate you. He might never return home. After losing me he would lose his family too and really possess nothing. His personality has always been this stubborn.”
Mother Qin’s face gradually changed. She couldn’t help but admit that if Ye Ming didn’t leave back them then things really may have turned out this way.
Ye Ming continued to say. “But if I chose to leave of my own accord and die in a place he didn’t know, he would only think that I betrayed him. He would admit that everything you said back then was correct. He would not hesitate to return home and continue being your son. As time pa.s.sed he would forget about this person who didn’t deserve his feelings. That short relationship would only became a trial in his long life. Although he would feel pain and distress and maybe he would not be able to forget it entirely, but at least he would not have lost everything. And then there must finally be a day when joy will finally wash away sadness.”
“He has family and loved ones. His life will be long and he still the proud son of heaven that everyone admires. He is the person that I admire and feel the most proud of.”
“Leaving him is the best thing I could do for him. And it is also the last thing that I can do for him.”
Mother Qin looked at Ye Ming and suddenly felt that her eyes felt p.r.i.c.kly.
Once she had looked down on this person. She felt that his love was not honest, dedicated or pure. After Ye Ming hurt Qin Yi she felt that was correct and hated this person even more.
These three years although Qin Yi had been by her side however she knew that her son’s heart had been lost to a place she didn’t know. With her own eyes she witnessed her son slowly become someone that used coldness to hide his pain and lose the ability for happiness. She had asked herself countless times, was her initial actions correct?
Now she had finally obtained her answer. Her actions had been incorrect.
Back then if she hadn’t tried to prevent them from being together and not forced them into that state then her son… wouldn’t have become like this.
These three years every single one of them had been living in pain.
Ye Ming said, “My story is finished. Can I ask if this explanation is good enough for you?”
Mother Qin nodded her head slightly.
Ye Ming raised the corner of his lips and said, “Then can you help me leave? I don’t want him to see me die.”
Mother Qin shook her head.
Ye Ming looked at her in confusion. “Why?”
Mother Qin looked at him deeply. “I have one final question. Since you are concerned about him to this extent, then why did you come back? Isn’t dying overseas more efficient?”
Ye Ming’s eyes were filled with misery. He moved his lips. “I… didn’t expect that I would still be able to live until now. I just wanted to see him… I just wanted to look at him from afar with my own eyes…”
Mother Qin said. “I understand. Since it’s like this then you can’t leave.”
Shocked, Ye Ming said, “You–”
Mother Qin smiled. “I’m already old and can’t be bothered meddling in your affairs anymore. You’re both young people, do as you like. Today I just came here to ask you these questions. Since now I’ve gotten my answer I will go.”
This day I can’t help but admit that you deserve Qin Yi’s love.
Ye Ming looked as though he couldn’t believe what was happening. Back then Mother Qin steadfastly refused to acknowledge them forcing them to have no choice but to leave. But now that he was about to die, she suddenly accepted him?!
Mother Qin reached into her handbag and took out a mobile phone and lightly put it onto the table.
Ye Ming didn’t understand her actions. When he looked down his face changed! This phone had been connected the whole time! And the person on the other end was Qin Yi.
Had Qin Yi heard everything he had said just then?!
Ye Ming’s mouth trembled and his voice was unsteady. “Why are you doing this?”
Mother Qin stood up and sighed. “Back then I was wrong. I have no way of making things up to you. Since now all the misunderstandings have been cleared up, then in the time you have left you should be together properly and stop torturing each other.”
Ye Ming’s expression was complicated: shocked and moved at the same time.
Mother Qin laughed mockingly. “You don’t need to thank me. In the end I still owe you an apology. And anyway everything I’m doing is not for you but for Qin Yi. If it wasn’t for the fact that he can’t let you go, then actually I think that you just dying in some faraway place is pretty good too.”
Mother Qin said this much then turned to leave.
At this moment the door suddenly banged open! Qin Yi breathed heavily and his face was red as he stood in the doorway. He had probably run all the way here. His suit was askew and his chest puffed up and down.
He stared at his mother.
Mother Qin placed her phone back in her bag and said expressionlessly, “I’m not going to do anything. You don’t need to be so worried.”
Qin Yi said hoa.r.s.ely, “Mum…”
Mother Qin said, “Since you’re here then I won’t stay. In the future I can’t be bothered getting involved in your business. That’s right… when you have time the two of you should come back home to visit together.”
After speaking she didn’t turn back around but walked past Qin Yi and left.
Qin Yi stood motionless like a statue. In his hand he clutched his phone tightly. It as not until Mother Qin’s footsteps had faded and the room had returned to silence that his gaze slowly moved until… it landed on Ye Ming.