Chapter 102: As Long as She Can Be Happy

What Bai Xu wanted, from beginning to end, was merely to meet someone who could always stay by his side.

He was very grateful that heaven let him meet Yu Ke.

"Uncle, Aunt, eat slowly; I'll go back after I'm full, and I'll come again when I have time."

Ze Yan put down his chopsticks and said.

"You're leaving already?"

He Yun asked, she still wanted Ze Yan to stay a while longer, to keep Liuli company.

She knew why he had to leave; this child just keeps everything bottled up inside and never says it.

Moreover, she didn't want Liuli to be with Gu Die; Gu Die outside, rumored to be what he is, she also wasn't unaware.

The only son-in-law He Yun had recognized was Ze Yan, but Liuli, contrary to expectation, forgot Ze Yan and married someone else.

No need to think; everyone knows how Ze Yan feels now.

Mrs. Chu and Mr. Chu looked at Ze Yan with eyes full of pity and love.

Ze Yan knew they would worry for him, but he had to accept it, had to move on.

It's only a matter of time; if Gu Die truly loved Liuli and treated her well, what would he have trouble letting go of?

As long as she can be happy, what does it matter how he is?

"I'll come again when I have time."

Ze Yan replied.

"Stay a little longer; Si Yun has just come back."

Chu Feng also urged him to stay; he knew Ze Yan better than anyone, how could he not know how tormented he felt inside?

"No, I'm going back."

Ze Yan waited for Liuli to ask him to stay, but it never came.

"Ze Yan bro, let's go out for a walk."

Watching Ze Yan's departing figure, Liuli couldn't help but speak.

Ze Yan neither agreed nor refused; he remained silent, not speaking, and to Si Yun he could never say no.

"Dad, Mom, I'm full too; I'm going for a walk with Ze Yan bro, I'll be back soon."

Liuli said to He Yun and Chu Feng.

"Alright, go!"

He Yun replied, she couldn't wish more for Liuli and Ze Yan to be alone together, and Chu Feng nodded in relief.

Only Si Yun could untie Ze Yan's heart knot.

"Ze Yan bro, I'm back; aren't you happy?"

Liuli asked with a smile.

She saw Ze Yan's unhappiness, but couldn't bring up what was making him unhappy, so she could only speak like this.

"I'm quite happy."

He finally waited for her to return; how could he not be happy?

"But how can I not tell? Are you angry with me? Blaming me for forgetting you?"

Liuli brought up the topic, although she knew Ze Yan wouldn't blame her.

"No."

"Do you still remember how we often walked here when we were little?"

This little path, she still remembered; walking forward would lead under that maple tree.

"I remember."

"When I was little, I was really naive; whenever I had worries, I'd tell it."

Liuli said to the not-far maple tree, then looked toward Ze Yan.

"Did you also think I was naive back then?"

"No."

Ze Yan said no, but Liuli still knew he was three years older than her, much more mature, and he tolerated her childhood naivety.

"Let's watch the stars together tonight."

Liuli sat by the maple tree waiting for Ze Yan, just like when she was little.

Ze Yan sat beside her, and they both looked up at the sky.

She was still she, he was still he; nothing had changed, yet everything seemed to have changed.

Liuli kept looking and couldn't help but gaze at Ze Yan; his face beneath the silver-gray hair had matured too much.

For a moment she felt he was no longer the original Shen Zeyan.

She wondered how he had endured all these years waiting for her.

In her heart only guilt remained: why had she forgotten him, why had she fallen for someone else.

"Sorry," she didn't even know whether she should say that to Ze Yan.

If those words were useful, she could say them to him as many times as she liked.

He felt her looking at him, and thus turned his gaze to her as well.

His light brown eyes met her dark eyes; who knows who was momentarily lost in the gaze.

"Do you love him?"

After a long while, Ze Yan asked.

"I love him."

When Liuli answered, she withdrew her gaze from him, not daring to look at him.

You don't need to feel guilty; I only hope you can be happy, that's all, always has been.

Ze Yan knew her apology, saying sorry to him, was because she had forgotten him and had fallen in love with someone else.

Even if nothing had happened to her and she hadn't forgotten him, she might still have fallen in love with someone else.

How could he blame her? Saying he wanted her to be happy has always been his sincere words.

Since he couldn't give her happiness, if someone else could give it to her, it would be the same.

"Ze Yan brother..."

"Silly, you must remember, I will always be by your side."

Upon hearing him say such words, he wanted to cry; she used to not cry so easily, how come now she cries just by saying?

"You crybaby, why are you crying again?"

Ze Yan said with a smile, but his eyes were full of pity.

She used to cry as a child, so Ze Yan would call her a crybaby, but ever since she has lived as Chu Liuli, she simply wouldn't cry.

Chu Liuli's first time crying was because her grandmother passed away.

"It's not because of you………"

"Don't cry, be obedient."

"Ze Yan brother, can you promise me one thing?"

Liuli wiped her tears and said.

"Go ahead."

Whatever she says, he will agree to.

"Can you stop hating the Gu Family? Everything's in the past, I'm fine here, Gu Qing has also left, can you let go of this hatred?"

Upon hearing Liuli's words, Ze Yan's mood, which had just recovered, instantly reverted to how it was before.

Is it because of Gu Die that she doesn't let him hate the Gu Family?

"What they did wrong, they must bear the consequences."

Ze Yan said coldly.

"But you can't bring yourself to do it."

If Ze Yan really could bring himself to do it, Gu Die might not be fine as he is now.

"Don't hate anymore; I hope you can be well, happy, instead of always hating them."

He also wanted to be happy, and also wanted that when she returned he could be happy.

But now that she has returned, he is not as happy as he imagined, because she has fallen in love with someone else.

How could he be happy? Unless he no longer loves her.

"Will you promise me?"

Liuli doesn't want, because of herself, to let Ze Yan keep hating the Gu Family, which would make him unhappy.

She has already made him wait so many years, also taken away his happiness; how could she still make him unhappy now?

"Okay, I promise you."

For Si Yun, he would always agree, no matter what she asks.

"It's getting late, I should head back."

"Uncle, Auntie, how are you now? Tell them I'll visit when I have time."

"Okay."

Ze Yan knew Si Yun had returned, and had already told Mr. and Mrs. Shen.

Because they also liked Si Yun, they knew she had returned and would be very happy.

Ze Yan knew that upon Si Yun's return, his first reaction would also be to inform He Yun and Chu Feng, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Shen.

Ze Yan and Liuli went to the Chu Family gate and saw four people standing there, waiting for her and Ze Yan to return.

Ze Yan was preparing to return and drive, when he saw his parents also had come.

Indeed, speak of the devil and he appears; they even came running this late to see Liuli.

"Si Yun?"

Mrs. Shen completely ignored Ze Yan and rushed straight to Liuli.

They had been waiting at the door for them to return, already unable to wait any longer.

Mr. Shen also stepped closer to look at Liuli; they hadn't seen Si Yun for many years, and after finally waiting for her return, she had grown into a young lady.

Indeed, one really needs to look closely; even if they had seen Liuli somewhere before, they wouldn't recognize her as Si Yun.

Back when she was six, in the blink of an eye she's grown this big.

"Auntie, Uncle Shen."

Hearing Liuli call them again, Mr. and Mrs. Shen instantly felt their tears welling up uncontrollably.

At the same time, they felt happy for Ze Yan; Si Yun had returned, so Ze Yan could finally be glad.

But they didn't know that Liuli had already married Gu Die.

"Si Yun, do you still remember us?"

Mrs. Shen wiped her tears and said.

"I had forgotten you all before, sorry, but now I remember everything and won't forget."

Liuli said with a smile.

Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Shen's red eyes, Liuli also felt heartbroken.

"Silly child, don't say sorry; you've come back safe and sound, that's enough for us—you don't know, we've been hoping for your return every day."

Mrs. Shen said, then turned her gaze to Ze Yan.

"Especially Ze Yan, look what he has become."

She feels sorry for her son; after waiting for Si Yun for so many years, she also feels sorry for how he has become, so mature that he's no longer himself.

As a mother, she absolutely does not want Ze Yan to turn out like this.

He keeps himself busy every day, never relaxing; as his mother, she sees it with her eyes and feels it in her heart.

She watches but can't do anything; fortunately, Si Yun has finally returned, and she is overjoyed for Ze Yan.

If Mrs. Shen doesn't mention it, it's fine, but as soon as she brings up Liuli's guilt, it wells up again.

"Dad, Mom, we're heading back; it's already so late."

Ze Yan worries that Liuli will feel guilty again, so he wants to get Mrs. Shen and Mr. Shen out of the way.

"Si Yun is back, I'm so excited I can't sleep; I just want to see more of Si Yun."

Mrs. Shen replied.

"Your mother wants to chat more with Si Yun, not in a hurry to go back."

Mr. Shen spoke up.

"He Yun, Chu Feng! When will the children's matter be settled?"

Mrs. Shen asked, she now wishes she could immediately have Ze Yan marry Si Yun, after waiting so long, she doesn't want Ze Yan to miss this chance.

Mr. Shen was also waiting for He Yun and Chu Feng's answer.

He Yun and Chu Feng looked at each other, not knowing how to answer, or how to tell them that Liuli has already married someone else.

"Why aren't you speaking? What's there to hesitate about? If you won't decide, I'll decide—set it for the day after tomorrow!"

Mrs. Shen is also this anxious for Ze Yan's sake.

"Mom, don't say more; let's go back."

"Silly child, you and Si Yun were already engaged as children, and you've waited for her all these years; now that Si Yun has finally returned, I just hope you two end up together."