Chasing My Husband! The "Crown Prince" of the Beijing Circle Is Wildly Unruly! - Chapter 69

When Wang Xinghe woke up, his emotions were unexpectedly calm. All the physical discomfort that had plagued him had vanished. He felt an unprecedented sense of relief, making him feel as though the bed in this 4S dealership possessed some sort of magic.

He put on his shoes, neatly folded the quilt, and pushed the door open. As he stepped out, he happened to run into a staff member walking toward him.

The female employee smiled and nodded. “Sir, did you sleep well? Your vehicle’s maintenance is complete, and it has been washed.”

“Thank you.” Wang Xinghe stretched his stiff neck. He turned to leave, but couldn’t help pausing to ask, “Excuse me… what brand are the single bed and mattress in that room? They were very comfortable.”

The employee nearly cried in her heart—it was just a cheap set bought off Taobao for a hundred yuan. The real reason he had slept so soundly was the medicinal powder!

However, she maintained her professional smile. “Sir, I’m afraid I don’t know. That lounge was already set up when I first joined the shop.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you,” Wang Xinghe said with a hint of regret as he headed downstairs.

His car was parked right at the entrance. He was surprised to find that all four tires had been replaced with brand-new ones. He hurried back inside to find the manager. “Standard maintenance doesn’t usually include new tires, does it? Did I forget to pay for them?”

The manager, who had already been briefed, smiled warmly. “Not at all. This is a special promotion for our Rizhao 4S shop. You just happened to get lucky.”

Wang Xinghe got into his car, feeling a dazed sense of disbelief, as if he had won the lottery. Since they refused his money, he couldn’t exactly force them to take it. He started the engine and left the dealership, setting his navigation toward Qingcheng.

He took a deep breath. The road home was not an easy one. Although it was only a two-hour drive, there was no one waiting for him there. He tapped the large screen of his BYD and opened NetEase Cloud Music’s daily recommendations. The first song was “Meteor Shower Comes Again” by Du Xuanda.

“Even if I exhaust all my strength to return to the starting point…” “The meteor shower comes again, eavesdropping on my secrets…” “I hide you within my memories…”

Wang Xinghe thought of Lu Jingze again. Looking at the scenery along the way, he couldn’t help but remember that Lu Jingze had once sat in the passenger seat. He would never forget that, after so many years, Lu Jingze was the first person he had truly wanted to build a home with.

He loved Lu Jingze deeply. It began with being captivated by his face—a masterpiece like a peerless work of art. It grew during their time together; Lu Jingze gave him a profound sense of accomplishment. He admitted that the process of “saving” Lu Jingze back then had actually been a form of redemption for himself.

Later, in Kyoto, he watched as Lu Jingze showed him silent respect and tried to bridge the gap between them. No matter what request he made, Lu Jingze agreed. Even when he finally asked to be let go, Lu Jingze actually let go.

But… his sister’s slap had woken him up. Such a beautiful dream was nothing but an illusion.

In the next life, he thought, let us be lovers accepted by the world. At least lovers recognized and protected by the law. If possible, he was willing to be born a woman in the next life.

By the time Wang Xinghe exited the highway at Qingcheng, night had fallen. When he returned to the familiar noodle shop, he was shocked to find it hadn’t been demolished. Instead, the shops across the street—which weren’t originally part of the urban planning—had been torn down to make room for the new road.

He stepped out of his car in surprise and approached the shop next door, owned by an old man who sold youtiao (fried dough sticks).

With a clatter, the door opened. “We’re out of youtiao, customer! Come back tomorrow morning—”

The uncle stopped mid-sentence as he saw Wang Xinghe. His smile widened instantly. “Good heavens! Xinghe, you’re back!”

“Uncle, wasn’t this area supposed to be demolished?” Wang Xinghe asked. He had already signed the papers.

“Oh, my dear Xinghe, the village returned all the demolition notices! I heard some big shot came in and bought the whole street. They had the road moved ten meters over so they only had to tear down the opposite side.”

The uncle continued excitedly, “Our row of old shops has been reinforced and renovated. The Housing Bureau, the Geology Bureau—every department you can think of—came to inspect them. They said the structural quality is perfect.”

“What about the compensation money? Do we have to give it back?” Wang Xinghe wondered why he hadn’t received any notification.

The uncle waved his hand dismissively. “No need. We even got our property deeds back. The villagers say the wealthy businessman had only one requirement: whatever these shops did before, they must continue to do. He likes this architectural style.”

He wiped his oily hands, looking thrilled. “Heh, our ancestors must have blessed us. We made three million yuan for nothing and still get to keep our businesses.” He paused, looking at Wang Xinghe. “Xinghe, are you going to reopen? Your shop has been empty for a long time.”

Wang Xinghe stood in silence for a long moment, unable to process it all. Finally, he looked down and let out a soft sigh. “Yes. I’ll reopen.”

“Good, good! That’s wonderful!” The uncle patted his shoulder.

Wang Xinghe walked to the front of his own noodle shop. The sign for “Yi Yi Sliced Noodles” was covered in dust, its colors faded. He reached into a hidden compartment in his suitcase and pulled out the keys he had never thrown away.

The rolling shutter door screeched as it was pulled up. He pushed the door open. Click. The lights flickered on.

On the dusty, reddish-brown table, a red property deed sat prominently. Next to it was a kraft paper envelope. Wang Xinghe walked over and sat down. He opened the envelope to find two pages of a letter.

Brother:

When you open this letter, what will be the reason that brought you back here? If possible, I wish we could have opened this together. If not, it doesn’t matter.

Can we start over? I am not a beggar with amnesia; my name is Lu Jingze.

I was born into the prominent Lu family of Kyoto. My grandfather gave me my name. He said: “The sun shines upon Kyoto, bringing grace to the world.” He hoped I would illuminate the dark side of the city and contribute to the country and its people.

My background is prestigious, but my parents did not love me. I was born because my scumbag father forced my mother. The man my mother truly loved was Ji Yuheng’s father. Because of that obsession, she never touched me from the moment I was born. Instead, after her sister gave birth to Ji Yuheng, she poured all her affection into him.

(I forgot to mention this messy web of relations—Ji Yuheng’s father married into the Ji family. My mother’s surname is Ji. The man she loved married her younger sister and fathered Ji Yuheng.)

My father, Lu Lixiu, is an idiot. He only loves my brain-dead mother and obeys her every word. When she told him to ignore me, he truly never looked my way. If my grandfather hadn’t taken me in, I don’t think I would have survived past my hundred-day banquet.

As I grew and the Old Master gave me more power, the conflict between me and my parents—as well as the spoiled Ji Yuheng—grew worse. The night you found me, I had been pushed off a cruise ship by people my mother sent. Fortunately, I grabbed a lifeboat and drifted to shore. I crawled onto the beach and ended up at your door.

Please forgive me. I was never properly loved, so I didn’t know how to love someone else. I hurt you. But Wang Xinghe, in the year without you, I have realized my mistakes. I woke up to a deep, growing love. Every long night without you has been a painful ordeal. Because I have been touched by your light and loved by you, I simply cannot go back to a life where you don’t exist.

Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left without saying goodbye, and I shouldn’t have pretended not to know you when you came looking for me. As for the gap in our status that worries you—it has never been an issue. Because I am Lu Jingze; whomever I choose is the one who stands upon my shoulders.

Brother, I love this place. I love everything here. I love you.

I love you; I swear it by my life and all my faith.

I will handle everything and erase all your worries. I look forward to a future where we stand side-by-side, holding each other and kissing each other.

Is that okay?

— A-Ze