39. Enlightenment

Lu Yinghuai's words, "That's enough," were like the final straw that broke the camel's back. Pei Huan's eyes brimmed with tears, and at last she lost control, crying in great, flowing waves. The more she wiped her tears, the harder they fell, until finally, she gave up and let them stream down unchecked.

For a moment, the only sound in the car was Pei Huan's sobbing. Lu Yinghuai drew his gaze back from the night outside the window and, seeing Pei Huan sitting there weeping alone, silently pulled out two tissues and handed them to her. She accepted them. "Thank you," she said.

Lu Yinghuai was not meant to be such a humble person. He was capable and resourceful, someone who would stand out anywhere. Yet now, before Pei Huan, he seemed humble enough to blend into the dust. Just a single wish was enough to satisfy him. Pei Huan was so heartbroken she could barely breathe.

"Lu Yinghuai," Pei Huan said in a hoarse voice.

"Hm," he answered, brief and quiet.

Pei Huan steadied herself and told him everything, leaving nothing out—the time Lu's mother had come to see her, and today's conversation. She did not want to hide anything anymore. He had the right to know; otherwise, her guilt toward him would deepen with time.

Lu Yinghuai listened calmly as Pei Huan recounted those old events, but the further she went, the colder his expression became. Pei Huan looked out the car window and continued, "When I started college, I thought I'd finally be free, but she sent people to watch me in secret, following me wherever I went. She was afraid I'd change my mind and fly abroad to find you. Those years, I was just as uneasy."

Pei Huan spoke quietly of her experiences over the years, and revealed all the reasons why she had left without a word. After she finished, a strange silence settled in the car before Lu Yinghuai's slightly hoarse voice broke it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did promise her, after all. To go back on my word right after seemed... a bit unethical," Pei Huan tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

But the atmosphere in the car only grew more oppressive. Lu Yinghuai turned his head, his deep eyes filled with an emotion Pei Huan couldn't decipher. Yet when she met his gaze, she felt as if the man before her might shatter at any moment.

"But you shouldn't have hidden it from me," Lu Yinghuai's voice was calmer than ever, though his emotions were anything but.

"But it was your future. I couldn't let my own problems ruin yours," Pei Huan began to cry again, "And I was just a high school senior with no abilities at all. I couldn't possibly stand against the entire Lu family behind her. Besides, even if I told you, you didn't have the power to protect me back then."

She wasn't wrong. At that time, Lu Yinghuai had no say in the Lu family; he could barely protect himself in that den of tigers, much less Pei Huan.

Lu Yinghuai fell silent, looking out the window, but for some reason, Pei Huan beside him only wept harder.

"But I just feel so regretful," Pei Huan sobbed.

"Because of all this, we've missed seven years," she said, wiping away her tears.

She had countless chances to confess to Lu Yinghuai, but for various reasons never did. They were apart for seven years—marriages have a seven-year itch, let alone two ordinary lovers.

Lu Yinghuai's gaze outside flickered. Pei Huan no longer cared, "I'm sorry, Lu Yinghuai. I shouldn't have been so selfish."

Hearing her sudden apology, Lu Yinghuai turned to look at her, his heart softening. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know," Pei Huan shook her head, "I just feel like I owe you one."

Only when Pei Huan's emotions gradually calmed did Lu Yinghuai speak again. "You don't need to worry about the Lu family. If they dare lay a finger on you, I'll make them pay the price."

He spoke with a cold edge, and Pei Huan thought he looked incredibly handsome, though her mood was still low, so she only mumbled a quiet assent.

"Now that everything's out in the open," Lu Yinghuai continued, his next words so abrupt that Pei Huan was stunned, "Do you want to be with me?"

She was so taken aback, she didn't know what to say. Just a moment ago, the atmosphere had still been sorrowful, and now he was asking her to be with him. The direction of the story seemed... off.

Her expression, in Lu Yinghuai's eyes, was hesitance—a reluctance to be with him. His gaze cooled again, returning to the old, distant look. "If you don't want to, forget it."

"No... that's not it," Pei Huan explained, flustered.

"Get out," Lu Yinghuai's tone brooked no argument.

Pei Huan's hand clenched slightly. She hesitated, then got out of the car. As soon as the door closed, the car sped away.

At home, Pei Huan lay on the sofa, staring into space. This day had been surreal: Lu Yinghuai sending afternoon tea to her department, Lu's mother coming to see her, and even more incredible, she and Lu Yinghuai had bared their hearts to each other tonight—and he had confessed.

She gazed up at the ceiling, lost in thought, until the doorbell pulled her back. Glancing at the video intercom, she saw Pei Yan and Xia Qing had arrived. She opened the door, forcing a passable smile. "What brings you here?"

"To cook you a good meal," Pei Yan said lazily.

Pei Huan was in no mood for jokes, so she let them in and left the living and dining rooms to them, drifting like a ghost to her bedroom.

Before long, someone knocked at the bedroom door. Xia Qing's gentle voice came from outside: "May I come in?"

Pei Huan was still sitting in her chair, staring at the wall. Hearing the voice, she replied mechanically, "Come in."

Xia Qing pushed the door open, closed it softly behind her, set a chilled cola in front of Pei Huan, found a seat, and then spoke. "Your brother said you weren't feeling well tonight, so he asked me to talk with you."

Pei Huan instinctively denied it. "I'm fine."

Xia Qing was in no hurry, her face full of gentle smiles. "Then how do you explain your eyes being as red as a rabbit's?"

Exposed by Xia Qing, Pei Huan wasn't angry. The room was quiet for a few seconds before Pei Huan's low voice sounded.

"I met the person I liked in high school tonight."

"Did you?" Xia Qing smiled.

She continued to guide Pei Huan gently. Pei Huan liked Xia Qing as a sister-in-law and let her guard down, sharing her past and all the tangled feelings in her heart. Xia Qing was a perfect listener—she only interrupted when necessary, then let Pei Huan continue.

"So, you like this man, but you don't know what to do?" Xia Qing's words precisely pierced the confusion Pei Huan had carried for days.

Pei Huan's feelings for Lu Yinghuai were complicated—not the pure joy of youth anymore. She wanted to draw closer to him, but every time she did, she instinctively fled, unable to face her own conflicted emotions about him.

"Why not be a little braver?" Xia Qing said softly, smiling. "Just like you were in high school."

"I can't," Pei Huan shook her head. "I'm not the same Pei Huan anymore."

Her tone was forlorn. Xia Qing patiently encouraged her. "Your conflicted feelings toward him mostly stem from your guilt. But he doesn't see it that way," Xia Qing said. "If you keep holding onto that mindset, you're destined to miss each other."

Pei Huan's eyes dropped, pupils contracting sharply, though she remained outwardly calm. Xia Qing wasn't anxious. "Try to let go of that feeling, pull yourself together, and see what happens. Maybe you'll get the result you want."

Xia Qing talked with Pei Huan for a long time. When Pei Yan finished cooking and knocked, their heart-to-heart finally ended. Xia Qing patted Pei Huan's shoulder, smiling as she encouraged her. "Cheer up. I'll be waiting for your good news."

Pei Huan looked dazed. "Can I really do it?"

"Of course," Xia Qing replied with certainty. "If I say you can, and you don't believe your brother, at least believe me."

They exchanged glances, and Pei Huan finally smiled. "Alright, I trust you."

At the dinner table, Pei Yan glanced at Pei Huan, whose mood was clearly much improved, and exchanged a look with Xia Qing before asking, "Feeling better now?"

Pei Huan picked up a chopstick of food for herself and looked at Pei Yan, her smile bright. "Thank you, brother."

Pei Yan knew what she meant and snorted, laughing. "Why thank me? Thank your sister-in-law."

All three laughed together.

After that night, Pei Huan's mood eased considerably, though she didn't see Lu Yinghuai for days, not even on TV.

The partnership with Minghan was progressing steadily, and Pei Huan's workload had lightened. During that period, Li Xuan and the others often invited her out for drinks. Pei Huan could hold her liquor—not invincible, but she could drink.

In the noisy bar, Tang Yue glanced at her phone and said to Pei Huan, "Our class is having a reunion soon. Are you coming?"

Pei Huan took a sip and was stunned for a few seconds. "A class reunion?"

"Yes," Tang Yue nodded. "Looks like a lot of people are planning to go."

It sounded good, but in reality, these gatherings were just a way to see who was doing better or worse, a means to show off. Pei Huan had never attended a Class Two reunion before, so she didn't know if her class was like this.

The class group chat was busy with messages. Pei Huan no longer used her old account, so she borrowed Tang Yue's phone to scroll through the messages, marveling, "I didn't expect everyone to be so enthusiastic."

"Must be bored," Tang Yue joked.

They quickly lost interest and went back to drinking. Tang Yue dragged Pei Huan onto the dance floor, mixing with men and women, hormones flowing freely. They danced until satisfied and returned to their booth.

Wang Xun teased, "Didn't expect it—our Sister Huan still has her charm."

Pei Huan rolled her eyes. "You're just bored."

Tang Yue checked the class group again and, seeing something, let out a startled cry. Those nearby heard her, and Li Xuan asked, "What's got you so excited?"

Tang Yue looked up, her expression hard to describe, and finally turned her gaze to Pei Huan, sharing what she'd just seen.

"Lu Yinghuai is coming to this class reunion."