Chapter Twenty-Nine: I Believe

He Yurou, seeing her uncle so anxious, turned to Han Mo, who stood beside her, and asked, “What could be so urgent? My uncle didn't even hand me over to you himself and left in a hurry. He's acting so strangely today—this is the first time I’ve ever seen him like this since I was a child.”

Han Mo, standing to the side, urged He Yurou to get in the car while replying, “It’s the first time I’ve seen the boss so flustered too!”

Inside the car, He Zheyu kept dialing Mo Qinghan’s number, but the only response he got was the automated message: “The number you are calling is powered off.” Just as He Zheyu was about to throw his phone aside in frustration, he suddenly paused, recalling a thought: perhaps she’d message his alternate account, Sanye. As soon as he opened QQ, he saw the sole avatar flashing. Excited, He Zheyu clicked it open. The message read: “I made your niece cry. I’m going home right now to reflect on my actions.”

Driving, He Zheyu muttered the last part—“going home right now to reflect on my actions”—several times. In an instant, he realized Mo Qinghan must have returned to the apartment. Tossing his phone aside, he pressed the accelerator hard.

After arriving back at the apartment, Mo Qinghan searched every pocket but couldn't find her keys. She recalled throwing them inside the house in a fit of anger at He Zheyu and hadn’t brought them out. Her phone was dead too. Figuring it would only be a few more hours until dawn, she chose the brightest streetlamp nearby and sat down beneath it. In the silence, unwelcome thoughts crept in, and past sadnesses returned. Tears of grievance welled up in Mo Qinghan’s eyes. Wiping them away, she muttered to herself, “Mo Qinghan, when did your tears become so cheap? Why waste them on people unworthy of you?”

A familiar male voice suddenly broke the silence of the night. “Hey, girl! Hey!” He Zheyu, having rushed out of the car, spotted Mo Qinghan’s solitary figure and called out hurriedly.

Turning around and standing up, Mo Qinghan saw He Zheyu running toward her. Before she could react, he wrapped one arm around her, pulling her into his embrace. Mo Qinghan could feel his rapid heartbeat from running, the warmth of his breath brushing her face. She stared blankly at He Zheyu, remembering how furious he’d been when Zhao Qingwu had hugged her before, and how her diary was filled with memories of Zhao Qingwu. She had no idea what He Zheyu would do next, nor if she could handle it. Somewhat guilty and in a small, timid voice, she asked, “Did Yurou call you?”

He Zheyu, holding Mo Qinghan, could feel her trembling slightly. When he didn’t answer immediately, she bit her lip, her voice dropping even lower. “Ever since I discovered you were Sanye, and Sanye was you, I haven’t had any feelings for Zhao Qingwu at all, whether you believe me or not…”

Before Mo Qinghan could finish, she heard He Zheyu’s deep, magnetic voice say, “I believe you.”

Mo Qinghan’s face showed her surprise as she murmured, “You really… believe me?”

A sweet smile curved He Zheyu’s lips. He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to Mo Qinghan’s forehead, then softly rested her head against his chest. “As long as it’s you saying it, I’ll believe it.”

Mo Qinghan let herself remain in He Zheyu’s embrace. Her hands, which had nowhere to rest at her sides, somehow found their way around He Zheyu’s waist.