n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Dai Chukongâs heart ached.
Qi Bufanâs words were cruel to her, but she had no choice but to listen.
âLovers kiss and make love, but whenever I think of kissing and making love with you, I feel guilty.â
âIâll always remember how adorable you looked when you didnât know how to braid your hair and pestered me with a comb to make me comb your hair. I learned how to tie my hair and taught you how to do it. Just thinking about how Iâm going to be with this child I raised as a daughter makes me feel guilty. I feel like a pervertâ¦â
Qi Bufan was in pain.
!!
If he still had some love for Dai Chukong, then no matter who Dai Chukong was, what identity she had, or what age she was, he would dare to love and marry her.
âMy feelings for you are pure. Itâs a fatherâs love and indulgence for his daughter, an elderâs patience and tolerance for the younger generation, but thereâs no manâs deep love for a woman.â
âChukong, Iâm sorry. Dad promised you so many requests, but this time, Dad will disappoint youâ¦â Qi Bufanâs narration was incoherent. His tone was painful and confused.
Dai Chukong listened to his inner monologue and felt especially upset. She did not know that her love for this person made him suffer so much. Perhaps she knew but just did not dare to think too deeply.
âStop talking.â Dai Chukong stopped Qi Bufanâs hand.
She could roughly guess why Qi Bufan had brought her to her fatherâs grave.
She bent her body and stood up. Dai Chukong looked up slightly and stared at Qi Bufanâs red eyes. She suddenly asked him, âYou want to cut ties with me, right?â
Qi Bufan closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. âYes!â
Then, Dai Chukong closed her eyes in resignation. âWhy?â
âYou already have feelings for me that you shouldnât have. We can never be family, right?â Qi Bufan caressed Dai Chukongâs hair with heartache as he looked at the little girlâs beautiful face.
He had raised this child single-handedly.
He felt both proud and pained.
âEvery day you spend with me has become a kind of pain for you.â Qi Bufan retracted his hand, took off the jade cicada carving around his neck, and hung it around Dai Chukongâs neck.
Dai Chukong looked down at the pendant and cried as she asked, âWhatâs this?â
âMadam carved the jade cicada herself. She said that the jade cicada means rebirth. Chukong, you should have another life. Leave me and treat it as having a new life.â
Dai Chukong wanted to cry again. âI donât want to leave you!â
Qi Bufan suddenly raised his voice and shouted at her, âYou have to leave me! Dai Chukong, youâre still young. Youâre only 21 years old. Youâll experience countless beautiful accidents! Youâll always meet another person. He must be a good man. Heâll treat you very well and treat you like a treasure! When you meet that person, youâll understand why I did what I did today.â
Seeing that Dai Chukong was in a daze, Qi Bufan realized that he had scared her. He softened his tone and said, âYouâre my child. I hope youâll be happy.â
Qi Bufan stood up and coughed. His chest hurt terribly. He pressed his chest and slowly left the cemetery. He had only taken a few steps when a series of footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.
Qi Bufan knew that Dai Chukong had caught up.
âQi Bufan!â Dai Chukong shouted his name hoarsely.
Qi Bufan stopped in his tracks.
Should he turn around or not?
He stood where he was, in a deadlock.
Dai Chukong was standing behind him. She looked up at him and said, âTurn around and look at me, okay?â
Qi Bufanâs heart softened. He slowly turned around. Just as he turned around, a beautiful face suddenly enlarged in his vision. There was a hint of gentleness on Qi Bufanâs lips.
He did not move.
After being stunned for two to three seconds, Qi Bufan lowered his eyes and saw Dai Chukongâs long eyelashes trembling and a few drops of tears falling from the corner of her eyes. He regained his senses and suddenly pushed Dai Chukong away.
Dai Chukong took a few steps back from his push.
She touched her mouth and said, âYou already said you were leaving. When I called you to turn around, your heart softened again.â
Qi Bufanâs lips moved, but he was speechless.
Dai Chukong said, âYouâre lying.â
âWh⦠What?â Qi Bufan was confused, not knowing what Dai Chukong meant.
Dai Chukong slowly walked forward and pressed her hand on Qi Bufanâs chest. She felt the rhythm of his heart under the manâs body and laughed while crying. âYouâll never be able to love another woman in your life.â
Qi Bufan looked indifferent.
Dai Chukong added, âYou know that if you donât chase me away, Iâll move in here.â Her fingers scratched Qi Bufanâs chest as she said, âYouâre afraid. Youâre afraid that youâll fall in love with me. Youâre afraid that with me here, you wonât be able to bear to let me go anymore.â
Qi Bufanâs expression became flustered.
âNonsense!â
He took a step back.
He looked very calm. He sighed softly and turned to leave without saying anything else.
Dai Chukong did not chase after him. She only watched as Qi Bufan left. When he really left, she returned to Dai Ruohengâs tombstone. Dai Chukong knelt in front of the tombstone.
After Qi Bufan left the cemetery, he took a taxi to Binjiang City.
He bought a plane ticket and took a few hours to reach Binjiang City. Before he reached Fang Yushengâs house, he received a call from the front desk of the Shen City Hotel.
âMr. Qi, do you want to check out of the room? Itâs already two in the afternoon. If you donât intend to renew your room, please come to the front desk to get your depositâ¦â
Qi Bufan grasped the main point and asked the receptionist, âSheâs not back?â
The other party was stunned for a moment before understanding who Qi Bufan was referring to.
She said, âNo.â
Qi Bufan was a little flustered.
She was not back yet. Where had she gone? She was a girl, alone in a strange city. Could she have gotten into an accident? Qi Bufan was at a loss, his heart beating wildly.
The car had already entered the city center of Binjiang City. Qi Bufan looked at the tall buildings outside the car window and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes were filled with resignation. âBack to the airport!â
Four hours laterâ¦
Night fell in Shen Chen. In the afternoon, it started to snow in this city. The snow in this city was not small-scale. The snow could break branches. The streets were covered in a layer of snow, and this city became dreamy again.
The taxi stopped in front of the cemetery. The driver said to Qi Bufan, âGuest, weâre at our destination.â How interesting. The cemetery was a place where people died of old age. It was the ultimate destination of a personâs life.