“Nuannuan, I’ve let you down in the past. Now, I’ve become like this because of you, so consider it as my way of making it up to you. Let’s forget about the things that happened between us. From now on, we don’t owe each other anything, and let’s forget about each other.”

 “If it had been in the distant past and I’d woken up after being kidnapped and saw Wu Hao injured, I would have been relieved and touched—my heart would have fluttered—but that’s not how I felt. Instead, I was constantly uneasy and constantly checking my phone. It was like you just evaporated from the surface of the earth and out of my world. I constantly dreamed about you during those two months, and I was always logging into the game to see if you had replied to my messages. I used to space out, too, whenever I’d noticed all the presents that you’d sent me. I would think about how I had transformed into a different person. My spirit was gone, and I was unlike myself.”

 “Nuannuan, you deserve better, and you can find someone better. You could have children and lead a peaceful and wonderful life. Don’t be foolish because of your guilt. It’s not worth it. And neither will I allow you to be so foolish. Furthermore, you have a long life ahead, and there isn’t anyone who can’t be replaced. You might just be driven by gratitude right now. You must understand that if you and I were together, our life would not be blissful or wonderful but endlessly painful. There is nothing you can rely on me for. I wouldn’t be able to do anything around the house, I couldn’t help you up if you fell… I couldn’t even get you to the hospital to save your life! Instead, you would have to take care of me.”

 “When I was buying cake the other day, I bumped into you and Guoguo and saw how well you treated her. I was devastated, and it was only at that moment that I realized that my transformation, which I could never understand before, was all because I love you. The reason I became dispirited after you left was also because I love you. The reason I was upset to see you treat Guoguo so well was because I was jealous. I did hate you initially and never thought about loving you, but in the end I still fell for you. I even ran to your apartment foolishly that night with the intention to come clean with you, but I bumped into Guoguo who was obviously living there…”

 Love? She actually said that she loves me…

 Lu Bancheng’s entire body froze abruptly.

 She doesn’t just want me out of gratitude after Guoguo told her the truth. She actually loved me before she even knew anything.

 Deep in thought, Lu Bancheng, who had been trying to persuade Xu Wennuan with such conviction, was suddenly at a loss for words.

 “Lu Bancheng, in the past, I’ve always felt that I owed you nothing. But subsequently I’ve realized that I owe you not merely for my father’s life, my job, and your legs but for an entire life.” Xu Wennuan’s eyes turned red. “If it weren’t for you, I would not dare to imagine what the current Xu Wennuan would be like.”

 With tightly pursed lips, Lu Bancheng looked back at Xu Wennuan for some time before he clutched tightly onto his bedsheets to force himself to remain rational and calm. He then said, “Nuannuan, I’ve said everything that I have to say. I’m tired, and I want to rest. After you’re done with what you want to say, you can leave. I’ve made my decision, and I will not change my mind. I will never be with you again…”

 Before Lu Bancheng could say the last word, Xu Wennuan suddenly bent over and sealed his mouth.