Chapter 720: Protecting You, Until I Die

At the entrance of the coffee shop—Liu Xin'ai did not expect Liu Qingze to leave so decisively, and was suddenly somewhat surprised.

She subconsciously wanted to chase after him, but was blocked by Jiang Chenghao.

"Xin'ai, I just have a few words I want to say to you; give me a few minutes, that's all."

His tone carried almost a hint of pleading, and he looked at Liu Xin'ai with a nervous expression.

During this period, whenever he was idle, he could not help but think of the things between the two of them in the past.

He knew that she already had her own choice.

But even so, he did not want to give up.

"Cheng Hao, we really can't go back."

Seeing the persistence in the depths of his eyes, Liu Xin'ai ultimately hardened her heart to offer a reminder.

"I know."

Jiang Chenghao's gaze flickered for an instant, a flash of unwillingness quickly crossing his eyes, yet he still said in a firm tone.

"I respect your choice. I've thought about a lot of things lately and have been wanting to find a time to meet with you. Now that we've happened to run into each other, perhaps it's an opportunity given to me by the heavens. I will only take up a little of your time, okay?"

Liu Xin'ai did not speak; after a long while, she sighed softly.

"Go ahead."

She had finally made a compromise.

Jiang Chenghao also let out a sharp sigh of relief.

"Xin'ai, sit."

Jiang Chenghao gestured to the seat beside him, and a hint of a smile finally appeared on his face.

Liu Xin'ai nodded and took the opportunity to sit down in the spot where Cai Xiaotang had just been.

Not far away—inside a towering building, a man was standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the commercial street at his feet with eyes devoid of any warmth.

His gaze was like that of some kind of predator that had caught its prey, tightly locked onto a certain point on the street corner, the air pressure around him extremely low.

It was none other than Qin Yiyan.

"President Qin, you have arrived. Shall we... go over to the sofa to talk?"

A middle-aged man pushed open the office door and walked in, his tone ingratiating.

Qin Yiyan, however, seemed as if he had not heard, merely watching the floor below with focus.

Why are those two together again?

Is that woman Liu Xin'ai really so ungrateful!

Using the excuse of Liu Qingze's return to live at the Liu Family, and then she can openly meet with her old lover?

Heh...

It seems he has been far too lenient with her temper...

A trace of bloodthirsty arrogance flashed in Qin Yiyan's eyes, and he suddenly let out a cold snort.

"President Qin?"

The man did not know why he was inexplicably in such a low mood, and could not help but call out again.

Qin Yiyan did not speak, instead throwing a cold, sharp glare at him, and the man immediately and wisely stopped speaking.

Downstairs—Liu Xin'ai looked down at the steaming coffee in front of her and said softly, "Whatever you want to say, just say it directly."

Hearing the faint detachment in her tone, Jiang Chenghao could not help but feel his heart tremble slightly.

He had deliberately delayed for a while, waiting for the coffee to be served, just to spend a little more time with her.

At this moment, he finally had to speak: "Xin'ai, I've thought a lot during this time. That day at your wedding... making you so embarrassed, I am very sorry."

He offered an apology with great sincerity.

"It's all in the past."

Liu Xin'ai responded indifferently, not wanting to bring up that day's events again.

The next second—"It's not in the past."

Jiang Chenghao spoke in a low voice, his tone tinged with a bit of hoarseness.

"What?"

Surprise finally appeared on Liu Xin'ai's face, doubting whether she had misheard something just now.

Immediately after, she heard Jiang Chenghao repeat it again: "I said, it's not in the past."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xin'ai's expression was somewhat dazed; she opened her mouth, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

Jiang Chenghao continued, "Xin'ai, you are the only girl I have ever liked in my life. Asking me to just forget you like this—I can't do it."

He said it with absolute certainty, his eyes filled with undisguised affection.

"Cheng Hao..."

Liu Xin'ai looked at him with some helplessness, forcibly suppressing the unwillingness buried deep in her heart.

"You don't need to worry, I won't do anything to make you uncomfortable."

Fearing she had misunderstood his meaning, Jiang Chenghao hurriedly continued: "I just want to tell you that whether it was in the past, the present, or the future, I will only ever like you..."

As he spoke, he suddenly took out a small box and placed it on the table, gently opening the lid.

Inside was the ring that Liu Xin'ai knew better than anything, shimmering with a crystalline luster under the sunlight.

"This ring... ever since the day you returned it to me, I have kept it with me. It belongs to you, so... I still want to entrust it to you for safekeeping."

Jiang Chenghao seemed somewhat nervous as he carefully placed the ring in front of Liu Xin'ai.

Liu Xin'ai's very breathing came to a standstill.

Reason told her that she should leave immediately.

And then never see Jiang Chenghao again.

Yet her body seemed to be under control, sitting firmly there, wanting to hear him finish what he had to say.

Seeing that she did not refuse, Jiang Chenghao breathed a small sigh of relief.

Only then did he continue, "I have thought a lot these past few days, and I have already found my own answer. Xin'ai, as for you, I do not want to give up, and I absolutely will not give up. Since you chose to sacrifice your own happiness for the Liu Family, then I can also stay in place for you... From now on, my time is yours. As long as you need me, you can find me anytime, anywhere. I will wait for you... until..."

Jiang Chenghao paused for a moment.

Then, as if summoning his courage, he picked up the ring, placed it into her palm, and carefully held her fingers.

"Until the day I die."

Seven words, each one striking heavily upon Liu Xin'ai's heart.

The fingertips he held were scalding, yet her heart sent pain throughout her entire body.

She abruptly pulled her hand back, but her fist clenched involuntarily, as if to embed the small ring into her palm.

"Cheng Hao, I am not worth you doing this..."

Liu Xin'ai's tone trembled; the line of indifference she had struggled to build collapsed instantly because of his last sentence.

"You are worth it."

Jiang Chenghao's tone was resolute: "For the person I love, doing anything is worth it."

Liu Xin'ai took a deep breath, her reason nearly collapsing.

She wanted to leave this place.

She wanted to disregard everything and go with him.

To not let down his deep affection for her...

But she could not.

After a long while—"I'm sorry, forget me!"

Liu Xin'ai stood up in a somewhat disheveled manner, hurriedly threw out those words, and left as if fleeing.

Jiang Chenghao did not stop her, but simply sat in his original seat, watching her back walk away, the conflict previously on his face gone.

It was all said...

He would do what he said.

To always guard the person he loved, until the day he died.

If he could, he would give his life to her.

Upstairs—Qin Yiyan had been standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window like a statue, not moving for a long time.

Watching Liu Xin'ai leave, he let out a heavy, cold snort and turned to walk away.

"President Qin!"

The man instinctively wanted to stop him, but did not dare to truly step forward, and could only watch helplessly as he left.

Qin Yiyan walked with a gust of wind; as soon as he exited the office, he picked up his phone.

【Come home tonight, I have something to discuss with you.】

Watching the message send successfully, a cold light flashed in Qin Yiyan's eyes.

He had given her a chance...

It was that woman herself who did not know how to cherish it.

Then she could not blame him.