CIATB Chapter 231 This time, there's no going back.
Chapter 231 This time, there's no going back.
The car drove for about ten minutes.
We arrived at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport very quickly.
The old man parked the car steadily on the side of the road outside the airport terminal.
He got out of the driver's seat and respectfully opened the back door for Li Ze and Ruoran.
Ruoran got out of the car.
As soon as she got out of the car, she was captivated by the scene before her.
She stood beside the parking lot, looked up, and gazed at the enormous terminal building in front of her.
The exterior of the terminal building is entirely made of glass curtain walls, which glitter in the sunlight.
Several flags were fluttering on the rooftop, swaying in the wind.
The area around the main entrance was bustling with travelers dragging their suitcases in and out.
As she stood there, she couldn't help but open her arms and stretch comfortably.
She took a deep breath of fresh air and exclaimed loudly:
"Wow, this is the first time I've ever seen an airport in Seoul."
Her voice sounded very happy and fresh.
She turned her head, looking around, her expression like that of a little girl going on her first long trip.
Li Ze walked over from the other side of the car.
He stood next to Ruoran, watching her curious expression.
He said casually with a smile:
"Really? This is your first time here."
He said it as a very casual remark.
But after hearing this, Ruoran turned to look at Li Ze.
The happy expression on her face faded somewhat.
She stared at Li Ze for two seconds, then said:
"And you dare say that? Do you know what kind of life I've led for the past eighteen years, raising those two children all by myself?"
Ruoran's voice became somewhat low, but she wasn't angry.
Her tone was filled with reminiscence and emotion.
She continued:
"Back then, every penny in the family had to be spent sparingly. We had to be frugal with food, clothing, and even the children's school fees."
Ruoran sighed and then said:
"Besides, you know perfectly well that over the years, Mengli, Menghan, and I have basically never left the area around Han City. Let alone going abroad, I haven't even been to the neighboring province."
When Li Ze heard what Ruoran said, he felt extremely sad.
He knew that everything Ruoran said was true.
For the past eighteen years, Ruoran has been supporting this family all by herself, struggling every day for the most basic survival.
She wouldn't even treat herself to a decent meal, let alone spend money to fly.
The root cause of all this was Li Ze's sudden departure without saying goodbye back then.
Li Ze quickly walked up to Ruoran.
He looked very earnestly into Ruoran's eyes, his tone full of apology:
"I'm sorry, Ruoran. What I said just now reminded you of those unpleasant memories. It was my fault."
Ruoran looked at the man in front of her who had a face full of self-reproach.
She remained silent for a short while.
Then, a smile suddenly appeared on her face.
She reached out and gently patted Li Ze's shoulder.
Her tone became very relaxed:
"Haha, you're really silly. I was just saying it casually, there's no reason for me to be upset."
Ruoran looked at Li Ze, and her smile became very sincere.
She went on to say:
"Actually, I'm quite grateful that you've reappeared in front of us."
When Li Ze heard Ruoran say "thank you," he looked at Ruoran with some surprise.
Ruoran lowered her head slightly, her voice becoming very soft:
"Because since you came back, the burden on my shoulders suddenly feels so much lighter."
"I can say that I haven't felt this relaxed since you left eighteen years ago."
As she spoke, she herself became a little embarrassed.
She quickly looked up at Li Ze.
Hearing Ruoran's words, Li Ze felt both happy and sad.
To her delight, Ruoran finally admitted that his return had eased her burden.
What's painful is that if he hadn't left back then, he wouldn't have had to carry such a heavy burden alone.
Li Ze looked at Ruoran and said in a slightly hoarse voice:
"But in the end, isn't it all my fault? If I hadn't left you, perhaps none of this would have turned out this way."
Ruoran thought about it after hearing Li Ze say that.
Then she shook her head and answered in a very calm tone:
"That's not entirely true. Think about it, if you hadn't gone to America, would you have this much money now? Would we be living this kind of life now?"
After a brief pause, she continued:
"Actually, I'm just an ordinary person. If I had another chance, maybe I would have chosen to fully support you in going out and making your own way in the world."
Her eyes slowly began to redden.
She looked at Li Ze and said in a trembling voice:
"but……"
"Of course I can understand why you went to America to work hard and make a living for this family and for our future. I understand that principle."
Ruoran's nose turned red:
"There's just one thing I can't understand. Why did you just leave without saying a word?"
"They just left a note. No explanation whatsoever, no chance for me to communicate. They just vanished like that."
Ruoran's tears were already welling up in her eyes.
She bit her lip hard and then said:
"If only you had given me even a little more time back then, let me have a proper conversation with you, let me understand your thoughts properly."
"Then for the past eighteen years, I haven't treated you like a dead person."
"I wasn't so badly incapable of knowing who to talk to during the toughest times. I could only stay in that tin shed, holding my two little children, silently bearing it all by myself."
Ruoran became more and more agitated as she spoke.
Finally, the tears in her eyes could no longer be held back and rolled down her cheeks one by one.
She forcefully raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face.
But the tears kept flowing even after wiping them away; they just wouldn't stop.
Li Ze stood there, watching Ruoran shed tears in front of him.
He felt a deep, deep pain in his heart.
He knew that everything Ruoran said was true.
He did leave in too much of a hurry back then.
He left only a note and disappeared, without any explanation or giving Ruoran any chance.
Although he was forced to leave by the system at that time, otherwise he would die.
But at least he could have spoken a few more words to Ruoran beforehand and given her more explanation.
Instead of just leaving and letting Ruoran face everything alone.
Li Ze reached out and pulled Ruoran into a tight embrace.
He had one arm around Ruoran's back and the other hand gently placed on the back of her head.
He let Ruoran's face rest against his chest.
Li Ze's voice became very low and very firm:
"If so, it was my mistake back then. Leaving without saying goodbye caused you and the children so much pain. This is the thing I regret most in my life."
Li Ze gently patted Ruoran's back and continued:
"But don't worry. No matter what happened in the past, this kind of thing will never happen again."
"From now on, I will always be by your side and the children's side."
"I swear, I will spend every day of the rest of my life giving you and our two children the best life."
Ruoran buried her face in Li Ze's chest.
Her shoulders were still trembling slightly.
She sobbed for a little while.
Then she slowly raised her head and looked at the man who was holding her.
Her eyes were still red, and her nose was red too.
But the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.
She looked into Li Ze's eyes and asked in a slightly hoarse voice:
"Then it's settled. This time, you can't go back on your word."
Li Ze looked at Ruoran's tear-streaked face.
He nodded vigorously.
He answered with two words.
The voice was very, very firm.
"certainly."
Ruoran smiled after hearing this answer.
She wiped away the remaining tears on her face with the back of her hand.
Then, she reached out and took Li Ze's hand.
She took Li Ze's hand, and the two walked side by side toward the terminal entrance.
The sunlight shone on the two of them.
Their shadows merged on the ground.