Volume One, Chapter Sixty: Disability

"I didn't know before, I've only found out recently." Pei Jingmo wasn't lying; he truly had no idea that Zhu Yanyan liked him.

Counting the past, he and Zhu Yanyan had only met twice. Once was when Zhu Chunfeng sacrificed himself—Pei Jingmo brought back Zhu Chunfeng's body and accompanied Zhu Yanyan through the funeral. The other time was after his retirement, when he visited her at school.

To him, Zhu Yanyan was merely a comrade's younger sister, nothing more. He could never have anticipated that Zhu Yanyan would develop feelings for him.

Until—

Zhu Yanyan learned of his marriage.

In Pei Jingmo’s memory, Zhu Yanyan had always been an obedient, gentle girl, but that time, she lost control like a madwoman and raged furiously. It was only when she confessed her feelings to him that he realized Zhu Yanyan liked him.

Afterward, Zhu Yanyan threatened suicide, demanded he divorce, or went out drinking and gambling, leading to their previous phone conversation.

Song Qingyu never imagined things would turn out like this. Thinking back, the night of the celebration banquet, Pei Jingmo and Zhu Yanyan tugged at each other outside the club—not because of any ambiguity, but because Zhu Yanyan, drunk and making a scene, was taken home by Pei Jingmo out of responsibility.

"What about last Saturday? When I asked you to go to the Ocean World, why were you with Zhu Yanyan?"

Pei Jingmo instantly understood—this was the real reason why Song Qingyu left home.

"That day was Zhu Chunfeng's memorial. I went to the cemetery to see him. I planned to accompany you on Sunday, but you had already..."

Song Qingyu was speechless. Zhu Yanyan, she had truly underestimated her.

Zhu Yanyan knew Saturday was Zhu Chunfeng's memorial day, and Pei Jingmo would surely go. She deliberately made a bet with Song Qingyu, just to sow suspicion and drive a wedge, hoping for her to divorce Pei Jingmo.

To be outmaneuvered by a younger girl left Song Qingyu in a foul mood.

"Qingqing..."

Pei Jingmo knelt on one knee before Song Qingyu. "Qingqing, though our marriage began as a partnership, I am your husband. I swear on my life—I will never betray you."

Such a heavy vow startled Song Qingyu, more than that, it flustered her.

She couldn't help recalling what Xie Liuzheng had once said.

Pei Jingmo wouldn't fall in love with you, would he?

Her heart beat wildly; her expression changed. Surely not?

"I... I'll go to work now."

Song Qingyu grabbed her bag in a panic and hurried out, stumbling.

Pei Jingmo's voice followed from behind, "Will you come home tonight?"

Song Qingyu: "..."

Why did it sound as if she was some irresponsible woman who never returned home?

"...I'll come home!"

Pei Jingmo smiled. "Good!"

All morning, Song Qingyu couldn't shake Pei Jingmo's words from her mind.

If not for these recent events, she would never have considered whether Pei Jingmo might fall for her.

It was supposed to be a marriage of contract, with plans to part ways after a year.

If Pei Jingmo liked her, what then?

Would the divorce become complicated?

Before Song Qingyu could sort out her thoughts, Zhu Yanyan sought her out once more.

The same café.

The same table.

Song Qingyu looked at Zhu Yanyan across from her, her mindset entirely changed.

As for Zhu Yanyan—perhaps because Pei Jingmo had ignored her for days, even blocked her, her complexion was as poor as could be.

Seeing Song Qingyu, she went straight to the point. "You lost! You saw that Pei Jingmo cares most about me, didn't you? Why haven't you divorced him?"

Song Qingyu gazed at her calmly. "I never agreed to a bet with you."

"Heh... Trying to play tricks?"

"Pei Jingmo doesn't like you. You used your brother's memorial day to gamble with me. Do you really think you've won?"

At these words, Zhu Yanyan’s expression changed abruptly, her eyes blazing with rage.

"He told you everything."

Judging by Zhu Yanyan’s reaction, Song Qingyu knew Pei Jingmo hadn't lied to her.

"Yes."

"Heh... Haha... Then you must know my brother died saving him?"

"I know."

"Then you should also know Pei Jingmo is obligated to me—he must stay with me, take care of me for life, to repay the debt he owes my brother."

Song Qingyu looked at Zhu Yanyan with calm detachment, not anger, only serenity.

"Do you truly love Pei Jingmo?"

"Of course!"

"No. You don't."

Zhu Yanyan stood up in fury. "What do you mean?"

"If you really loved him, you wouldn't use this to bind Pei Jingmo."

Song Qingyu took a deep breath. "If he could, Pei Jingmo would rather die himself than let anyone sacrifice themselves to save him."

She couldn’t claim to know Pei Jingmo thoroughly, but after this time together, she understood his character.

Pei Jingmo smoked heavily, especially lately, almost never without a cigarette.

Such a disciplined man—if not burdened by immense psychological pressure and guilt, why would he harm his own body?

"But my brother died because of him. That's a fact!"

"Yes. That's why Pei Jingmo gave you money, supported your schooling. But everything he's done for you isn't out of love—only because you're Zhu Chunfeng's sister."

Having what she refused to acknowledge exposed so lightly, Zhu Yanyan was furious.

"So what? What are you trying to do, telling me all this? Want me to give up on Pei Jingmo?"

"Pei Jingmo has his own choices."

"He'll choose you, of course!" Zhu Yanyan declared with absolute certainty. "But what about you? Do you love him?"

As if struck by a thought, Zhu Yanyan’s lips curled with mocking disdain. "You probably don’t know, do you? Pei Jingmo’s right ear is deaf—injured in an explosion during his service, he can’t hear anything at all."

Song Qingyu’s heart trembled violently.

What did Zhu Yanyan just say?

Pei Jingmo’s right ear was deaf?

She had been with Pei Jingmo for so long and never knew.

Thinking carefully, sometimes when he listened to her, he did seem to turn his left ear toward her.

So that was it.

"He’s a disabled man. You, a privileged heiress, could you possibly love a disabled person?"

Zhu Yanyan’s mocking voice echoed in her ears.

Song Qingyu looked at her, and saw in Zhu Yanyan’s expression the belief that if she exposed all of Pei Jingmo’s flaws, Song Qingyu would give him up.

"So what? Pei Jingmo’s injury was for the sake of his country. I don't consider it shameful or disgraceful—on the contrary, I am proud of him."

Zhu Yanyan's smugness could no longer be maintained.

She glanced in Pei Jingmo’s direction—he was gazing at Song Qingyu with deep affection, his eyes filled only with her.

A miscalculation.

Before seeking out Song Qingyu, she had called Pei Jingmo, hoping he would hear Song Qingyu’s words of contempt firsthand.

She never expected Song Qingyu to respond like this.

Now, Pei Jingmo would surely be even more devoted to this woman.

Song Qingyu sensed something was amiss. Turning, she saw Pei Jingmo standing outside the café, watching her through the glass, his gaze so tender it nearly spilled over.

Realizing he had heard her words just now, Song Qingyu’s face flushed hotly.

They looked at each other, as if in their world no one else could intrude. Zhu Yanyan, furious and despairing, spat, "You two are not suited! I'll be waiting to see your miserable breakup!"

She ran out in a rage.

Song Qingyu composed herself. As she left the café, Pei Jingmo was leaning against the wall, staring at the sky and smoking, lost in thought.

Song Qingyu walked slowly toward him. "Would you... like a hug?"