The fog around his heart

Zhiyuan was taken aback because, for the first time, he felt that the meaning of what he said differed from what he thought about her for the last seven years.

Xinyi was a kind-hearted and gentle woman who always thought about his family's happiness.

In that sense, he felt lucky that she was his wife.

She never misunderstood his intentions about searching for Caihong.

In that sense, he felt lucky once again.

But right now, at this moment, from the deepest part of his heart, he felt that he meant it differently. But he wasn't able to grasp it.

It was as if he was standing in someplace with a thick fog all around him, and he was flailing his hand to clear the fog. But the answer that he wanted lay obscured and muddled at the other end. No matter how much he tried, he didn't reach it.

Something had ever so faintly tugged his heart, but what...he didn't know.

Xinyi was bewildered for a few moments, but she realized that he didn't mean in that way that caused her heart to race. He was simply grateful to her for helping him.

She smiled. "It's nothing, Zhiyuan. As your wife, shouldn't I help you when you are in any trouble?"

But Zhiyuan didn't respond. He seemed to be in deep thought.

Xinyi waved her hand in front of his eyes. "Zhiyuan?"

"Fog... there is a lot of fog…" he mumbled.

"Huh? Fog?"

Xinyi confusedly looked around her. "There is no fog here, Zhiyuan."

Zhiyuan snapped out. "What?"

"You were saying something about how there is a lot of fog. Where?"

He realized he accidentally spoke it aloud. He cleared his throat. "Oh, that's nothing. Ignore. Let's go back. You must be tired."

Before Xinyi could ask further, he quickly held her hand and dragged her away.

---

As Chyou was asleep, Caihong grudgingly dragged Xiaosi out of their room.

"What did you want to achieve by doing this tonight!?" Caihong snarled in anger. "Making people see Zhiyuan together with me in one room, just how disgusting can you get?"

Xiaosi gasped. "I thought you would be so happy, Caihong. Two ex-lovers trapped in one room. Oof, how dramatic, isn't it?"

He leaned in towards her and devilishly smiled. "It was a perfect chance for you to cry out all your troubles to him. Didn't you say how you are suffering living with me? Didn't you ask him to take you away from me? Didn't you say how you still love him very much?"

Caihong raised her hand to slap him but he caught her hand and pulled her towards him.

"Chill Caihong," he smiled. "Too much anger is dangerous for your health. And this is just the beginning of Zhiyuan's doom."

"Xiaosi! Why are you doing this? You already got what you wanted, right?" She glared at him with utter hatred. "Everything happened just like you wanted. Then after seven years, what more will you get by plotting against us?"

He snickered but didn't respond.

She suddenly felt as if she lost all her strength. Her gaze was empty as she looked at him. "You always knew that Zhiyuan and Xinyi were married, right? You never told me and when you did, you chose to make us face each other after seven years in front of so many people where I didn't even have the liberty to say anything."

Xiaosi raised his brow. "There was no need for you to know about them. After all honey, you are married to me."

He narrowed his eyes and pinched her jaw. "Anything about Zhiyuan is irrelevant to you, and it should remain like that. Every last relationship with him already broke that night seven years back for you."

She gritted her teeth. "If we have nothing to do with him, then why are you still chasing after him to destroy him? No matter how much you hate him, even you know that Zhiyuan wouldn't even think of getting back with me," she sneered. "He is not like you, who wears a two-faced mask, pretending to be his best friend and then snatching his woman when you got the chance."

Xiaosi slowly brushed his thumb along her cheek.

She turned her face away. "Don't touch me!"

He chuckled. "I think you didn't hear me clearly. I said that everything broke for YOU. As for me, I have scores to settle with Zhiyuan."

He patted her cheek. "So you be a good wife and a good mother and take care of Chyou. Leave the rest to me, okay? Now, your husband is really tired. Let me go to my angel daughter's side."

Caihong trembled, and she slowly collapsed on her knees, feeling tired. Tears trickled down from her cheeks. Her small shoulders shivered, and she covered her face as she quietly sobbed in that silent night.

---

The next morning, Mu Chuanli's cruise trip ended. As Xinyi and Zhiyuan stepped off the ship, Siying suddenly ran off in another direction.

Xinyi said, "Siying wait. Where are you going?"

But she paused as she saw Caihong. "That…"

Zhiyuan put his hand on her shoulder. "Let it be."

Siying happily hopped to Caihong's side. "Aunty!"

Chyou peeked and smiled. "Siying."

When she looked at Xinyi, she brightened. "Aunty!" And she trotted over to her side.

Siying pouted. "Aunty. We did not have our class. You promised to teach me."

Caihong looked at him with a complicated gaze. It wasn't a problem before, but now that she knew he was Zhiyuan's son…

She wanted to stay away from him and the Han family.

She hesitated. "That...we might not be able to have our class."

Xinyi and Zhiyuan silently looked at her. They knew what she was thinking.

Siying felt as if his world crashed. His black orbs teared up. "But why? You promised me."

Caihong stiffened on seeing him cry. She panicked. She looked at Xinyi as if urging her not to misunderstand that she purposely made him cry.

"D-Don't cry. Big boys don't cry."

Shuang coolly stepped down and curled her lips. "And adults don't back off from their promises."