Three years after our breakup, you came back to China, and I'm just giving up. Why are you cryi

"Achoo!"

Lu Hao, who had just come out of the bathroom, sneezed violently.

Xiao Xiyue leaned against the headboard, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, her loose-fitting home nightgown highlighting her fair and delicate skin.

Looking at Lu Hao's disheveled appearance, she said gloatingly, "Look at you, you caught a cold from just getting caught in the rain. How come you're so weak?"

Lu Hao rubbed his itchy nose, looked up at the woman on the bed who had been teasing him, his eyes filled with resentment, and slowly spoke:

"You've drained me dry, how could I not feel weak?"

Hearing this, Xiao Xiyue gave him a playful glare and retorted seriously, "Don't talk nonsense, you're the one who insisted on having it."

Lu Hao pursed his lips, too lazy to argue with her about it. He walked to the bedside, lifted the covers and crawled in, then embraced Xiao Xiyue's warm and soft body, holding her tightly in his arms.

Xiao Xiyue nestled obediently against his strong chest, her dark hair gently brushing against his neck.

After a moment of quiet cuddling, she broke the silence, speaking softly, her tone earnest yet gentle:

"Ah Hao, honestly, what are you really thinking right now?"

Lu Hao tightened his arms around her slightly, the languor in his eyes faded, and he remained silent for a long time.

The room was quiet, with only the two people's warm breaths mingling together.

After a long while, Lu Hao finally spoke in a low voice:

"If I really make up my mind to give up everything here and go back to the Sunshine Welfare Home to spend the rest of my life, would you... be willing to come with me?"

Xiao Xiyue slowly raised her head from his chest, her charming peach blossom eyes sparkling, staring straight into his eyes without blinking, her gaze clear and firm, without any hesitation:

"Ah Hao, if you really want to go back, I will definitely go with you."

Lu Hao chuckled softly, looking into Xiao Xiyue's earnest eyes. At this moment, he already had the answer in his heart, no longer feeling as lost and helpless as before.

He reached out and gently ruffled her long hair, soothingly saying, "Go to sleep, get some rest, don't think about so much."

"You came to comfort me. It was clearly you who was overthinking things." Xiao Xiyue chuckled and obediently leaned back into his arms.

Lu Hao didn't reply, but simply held the person in his arms tighter, feeling the gentleness and security that belonged only to Xiao Xiyue. All his restlessness subsided, and he closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

I slept peacefully and without dreams.

The next day, the room was bright and warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow across the floor.

When Lu Hao woke up, the bed beside him was already slightly cool, and Xiao Xiyue was no longer by his side. Her faint fragrance still lingered on the pillow, but her body was no longer warm.

He sat up, rubbed his throbbing temples, threw off the covers, got out of bed, quickly straightened his clothes, and stepped out of the bedroom.

Lin Ran, wearing an apron, was busy in the kitchen. The soft clinking of pots and pans, along with the aroma of food, filled the air.

On the sofa, Zhou Mengmeng curled up with her legs casually draped over the cushions, holding her phone and intently scrolling through short videos, occasionally letting out a soft laugh. She looked relaxed and content.

Lu Hao walked to the kitchen doorway, looked at the busy Lin Ran, and asked softly, "Lin Ran, where is the others?"

Lin Ran replied softly without turning her head, "Ning Shu went to work. Sister Xi Yue also went to the company, and Sister Ruo Yun went with her, saying she wanted to see how your company is doing."

Lu Hao nodded slightly. Seeing that Lin Ran hadn't finished yet, he went to the living room and walked to the sofa.

He looked down at Zhou Mengmeng, who was playing on her phone, raised his hand and patted her shoulder, his tone serious: "Mengmeng, stop playing for a moment, I need to talk to you about something."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Mengmeng immediately put away her phone, sat up straight, and stared at Lu Hao with her bright, clear eyes, her face full of curiosity: "What do you want to ask me?"

"Come here, let's talk in your room."

Lu Hao left those words behind and turned to walk towards Zhou Mengmeng's bedroom.

Zhou Mengmeng looked bewildered, quickly stood up, jogged a few steps to catch up with him, and muttered under her breath:

"Hey Lu Hao, you want this so early in the morning?"

Lu Hao was quite taken aback by her train of thought and turned to look at her.

The girl was wearing loose and cute loungewear, with a sweet and lively appearance and an innocent look on her face.

He shook his head helplessly, reached out and grabbed her wrist, leading her to sit down on the edge of the bed with a serious expression.

"No, I wanted to ask you, if I went back to the Sunshine Welfare Home, would you be willing to come with me?"

Zhou Mengmeng paused, not quite understanding why Lu Hao would ask such a question. Several seconds later, she frowned and asked疑惑地问道, "Why do you want to go back? Don't you want the company anymore?"

"No, I don't want it anymore." Lu Hao's voice was tinged with weariness as he nodded frankly. "I plan to give up everything here and go back to the orphanage to live out the rest of my life in peace."

"Are you serious?" Zhou Mengmeng's expression turned serious.

Lu Hao nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with relief and guilt: "I had always thought this way before, but yesterday I realized that my thinking was ridiculous, because I hadn't asked you or thought about your feelings."

Zhou Mengmeng's eyes flickered, and she instantly understood. She asked softly, "So... you deliberately went missing yesterday to avoid this question? And now you're telling me to see what I think?"

"That's right, are you willing?"

Zhou Mengmeng lowered her head and remained silent for a long time, her small hands clutching the hem of her clothes, struggling with her thoughts for a while before finally slowly shaking her head:

"I don't know... I'm very satisfied with my life right now. I don't have much work, I have a lot of free time to do as I please, and I have all of you by my side. Life is peaceful and lively. I think this kind of time is just right."

She looked up at Lu Hao with sincere eyes: "But if things change, I don't know what kind of place the Sunshine Welfare Home you mentioned is, and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to adapt to life there."

Lu Hao listened quietly without interrupting her, already anticipating the answer, and remained silent for a moment.

Lu Hao paused for a moment, then tried to explain softly, "There are many fun things in the orphanage, such as lots of children, and Director Zhang and the others are all very kind..."

"That's a place you're familiar with, but not one I am."

Zhou Mengmeng gently interrupted him, her tone unusually clear, "You grew up there, you have feelings for that place, so naturally you feel safe and comfortable. But when I went there, I was a complete stranger."

All of that is manageable. The most crucial issue is that the orphanage needs to care for those children, which involves a lot of琐碎的事情 (trivial matters). If we were to settle there permanently, we would definitely have to shoulder that responsibility. At that point, would we still have time for ourselves? I don't want to become someone who can't control their own time.

After a pause, Zhou Mengmeng continued before Lu Hao could speak, "No matter what your final decision is, I don't think I will go back to the orphanage with you. That place is not suitable for me."

Lu Hao sighed softly, without blaming him, but instead showing a great deal of relief, and nodded emphatically: "I understand."

He should have realized long ago that everyone's pursuits are different.

Some people prefer a peaceful life, while others are attached to the hustle and bustle of everyday life; there is never a right or wrong answer.

Just as Lu Hao got up and walked to the door, Zhou Mengmeng's clear voice rang out from behind him, "Lu Hao!"

He paused, then turned around to look.

Zhou Mengmeng looked at him with clear, pure eyes and said earnestly, "Although I won't go to the orphanage with you to live, I've never thought about leaving you. Our relationship won't change because of your choice. If you go back, I'll often take time to visit you as part of my travels."

Hearing this, Lu Hao felt a warmth in his heart, and was both amused and exasperated.

Everyone expresses love in a different way, and Zhou Mengmeng's straightforwardness eased much of his guilt.

He raised his hand and pushed open the door, where a gentle figure stood.

Lin Ran stood quietly outside the door, her expression serene. It was unclear how long she had been standing there, but perhaps she had overheard their conversation.