novelHope and courage
| ← Ch.632 | Ch.634 → |
"You, wait a moment."
When You Qinglan reached the door, Li Wan'er called for her to stop while still looking at Xu Tingsheng.
"Where's Xiang Ning? Could you... could you get Xiang Ning to come here? I'd like to meet her to apologise and explain things to her in person... seeking her forgiveness. And giving her my blessings."
"Didn't you meet her yesterday?" Xu Tingsheng thought that Li Wan'er and Xiang Ning had already met yesterday night, just that he had not asked Xiang Ning about it due to a guilty conscience.
"I did. Still, we didn't talk."
"She still has lessons tomorrow. After changing the flight, Miss You's assistant, Amy, has already accompanied her back first, " Xu Tingsheng looked at his watch, "The plane should already have taken off by now."
Li Wan'er considered it and spoke no more. Actually, it would definitely not be good for her to truly face Xiang Ning now.
You Qinglan made use of this chance to escape.
"So, did she... like that wedding gown?" Li Wan'er asked, "Actually, even Qinglan and the others hadn't seen it before. They only knew that I wanted to give Xiang Ning a present, not knowing it was a wedding gown."
"There won't be a wedding gown more beautiful than this, " Xu Tingsheng said, then paused for a while before continuing, "I've seen that wedding gown before, in your design sketchbook... so, there's actually one more, right? Your own."
It was obvious from Li Wan'er's expression that he was spot on.
While making preparations for this farewell, even though she knew that she might never have the opportunity to wear it, she had still been unable to keep from also secretly making one for herself. She had not dared to let anyone know about it, though.
Who would have thought that Xu Tingsheng knew about it too.
Li Wan'er struggled inwardly for a while before raising her head to look at Xu Tingsheng, asking, "Can I, can I put it on for you to see now?"
It could be seen from her eyes how much courage it took for her to say this and how much she longed for it.
If not for her current situation, her surgery in the afternoon... Li Wan'er had never been such a brave person.
Having given wedding garments to Xiang Ning, she just wished to let him see now that if she were the bride... she would be very beautiful too. Before her perhaps imminent departure from this world.
Xu Tingsheng smiled and shook his head.
Li Wan'er deflated.
"It can wait till you've completely recovered. How about you wear it on the day you are officially discharged from the hospital, completely recovered? That doesn't sound bad. I'll come pick you up, " Xu Tingsheng said.
Li Wan'er looked like she had been struck by lightning as she stared disbelievingly at Xu Tingsheng.
She understood what Xu Tingsheng was saying. While she would wear a wedding gown for him, it would not be for an actual wedding.
In truth, even if he promised the world to her now, she would still feel that he was lying in order to give her hope and courage.
Yet, when he spoke in a roundabout and 'shameless' manner like this... Li Wan'er involuntarily believed it.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Right, " Li Wan'er nodded emphatically before secretly wiping away her tears.
Ordinary women who would accept this sort of thing in modern society were virtually non-existent unless they were the mistresses of corrupt officials or the wealthy who sought money and power.
Yet, Li Wan'er was different from ordinary girls in the first place. She had her own experiences, had reasons to lower her expectations, had Xu Tingsheng deeply etched in her heart... after all, this was the first man she had truly fallen in love with. He had even granted her a new lease of life.
Moreover, she was currently akin to being in that state of 'being just about to die'. With that, she was able to better understand and realise what she wanted most and had the courage to fear nothing.
Regarding how it was unfair to Xiang Ning... which woman in this world can personally give another woman wedding garments that she had personally prepared for much of her life, allowing her to be the most beautiful bride for the man she most loves?
Li Wan'er decided to be brave and selfish for once.
How had Xu Tingsheng also not mustered up his courage to say something as shameless as this? Having been reborn, since nineteen years of age, while he had seemed successful and unstoppable, he had actually been careful and restrained every step of the way. Although he had always been hurting people, he was clearly most afraid of hurting people.
All these years, when had he done something that was truly brave, diverging from the paths of others?
The atmosphere in the room changed.
After a while, Xu Tingsheng broke the silence, saying, "You'll definitely look very beautiful in a wedding gown."
While the joy was evident in Li Wan'er's clear eyes, what she said was, "It's Xiang Ning who'll look good in it. She's young, and pretty too."
Xu Tingsheng tapped his forehead with the back of his hand, saying, "While that may be true, she hasn't got much breasts."
"Huh?... Oh, you, " Li Wan'er shot him a look, knowing that the one in front of her at this moment was definitely not Xu Tingsheng but that little hoodlum, "I know. That's why I specifically designed around that for the wedding gown I gave her... you don't have to worry."
Xu Tingsheng nodded, saying, "Thank you."
Li Wan'er gazed at him for a while, looking as if she wanted to say something a few times yet refraining as she finally said regretfully, "Unfortunately, I may not be able to birth you a child anymore."
"Huh? Why? You aren't willing?"
"No! It's this illness of mine..."
"After recovering from the heart surgery, you'll still be able to give birth, right?" Xu Tingsheng said, "Recover well, and you will just be an older expectant mother at most. You only have to pay a bit more attention because of getting pregnant at an advanced age."
An originally serious topic was diverted by him again.
Still, Li Wan'er contemplated and felt that it indeed made sense. While being called an older expectant mother of an advanced age really did make one feel despondent, her former happy fantasies were revived with that as hope and courage surged within her heart.
"Yes, I know. I'll definitely work very hard, work hard to live on, work hard to recover... I'll be very healthy..."
"Yes, and give birth to a very beautiful baby. Right, I'll show you a photo, " Xu Tingsheng showed Li Wan'er a photo of Niannian that was saved on his phone.
"What a beautiful little girl. She is?" As she looked at the screen, Li Wan'er was filled with envy and the gentleness of a mother as she asked Xu Tingsheng this.
"She's the daughter of my best friend, Fu Cheng. The bastard's mighty! He was already a dad in his second year of university. The one who gave birth to her for him was even our most beautiful female teacher from senior high..."
"Huh? Second year? Teacher?" Li Wan'er could not be blamed for being astonished, for any surface description of this matter indeed sounded unconscionable enough.
Still, by the time Xu Tingsheng finished telling Li Wan'er the story of Ms Fang and Fu Cheng, this sort of astonishment had vanished completely. Li Wan'er only felt moved as a smile had bloomed on her face alongside eyes full of tears.
"Niannian's so adorable. Fu Cheng's so good. Ms Fang's so brave, " She said.
The story of Fu Cheng and Ms Fang gave Li Wan'er a lot of courage. Even though their situations were not completely the same, Fang Yunyao had actually also been mentally prepared for solitude when she had made her decision previously.
"Alright, " Xu Tingsheng wiped off her tears, saying, "In the future, our child will definitely be very beautiful and adorable too. To be honest, even if I live three lifetimes, I probably wouldn't be able to see a woman more beautiful than you. So, it all depends on you... rest well. Calm yourself. The surgery's in the afternoon."
Xu Tingsheng had said, "So, it all depends on you..."
Li Wan'er nodded forcefully, saying, "Yes."
While she had responded in the affirmative, her eyes were still open as if she was afraid that not looking at him now would mean never being able to see him again.
"Sleep. I'll be sitting right here. I guarantee that whenever you open your eyes, you'll definitely be able to see me, " Xu Tingsheng comforted her.
Li Wan'er nodded, entering under the blanket sideways and closing her eyes.
She secretly opened her eyes and sneaked a look at him a few times. Xu Tingsheng smiled, looking back at her.
She fell asleep for real, sleeping very peacefully.
Feeling his handphone vibrating, Xu Tingsheng took it out for a look.
You Qinglan asked: Were you serious or just coaxing her? Whichever it is, thank you.
Xu Tingsheng replied: You were still eavesdropping? You're mental.
Actually, even Xu Tingsheng himself was unaware, did not know what the future would bring... when Zhou Yuandai was looming over everything like an enormous, dark shadow.
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