章節 2: Bad News
Jiang Yanxu's eyes were still swollen. He wiped the tears that welled up with his sleeve, leaving a red mark in the corner of his eyes. He said with a voice that trembled, "It's been thirteen years, and I still regret everything. After ten years in prison, I kept mourning for my sins. If only I hadn't been blind to see someone's true integrity, I would never have regrets like I do now. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." The pain in his voice was palpable.
For a moment, Lu Xin'ai glanced at him, her eyes distant, before turning her gaze back ahead. As she listened to him apologize, a deep sorrow filled her heart, making her chest ache. There was anger, regret—emotions she couldn't fully express.
No matter how many times Jiang Yanxu said he was sorry—even if Yan An had forgiven him—it wouldn't change the past. After all, forgiving someone who had shattered her family's heart wasn't something she could easily do. Thirteen years had passed, and while Jiang Yanxu was still regretful, the wounds in Lu Xin'ai's heart were still fresh.
But revenge, hatred, and anger weren't the solution.
Lu Xin'ai had been raised by her father to be tough, to never cry or complain, to never be overly sensitive to others. She wasn't one to cry easily. Yet, the pain of Yan An's past was too much to bear. Lu Xin'ai fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill, but her heart couldn't deceive her. She remembered how Yan An had endured all those years, still loving Jiang Yanxu despite everything. Yan An had suffered after the divorce, but his love for Jiang Yanxu had remained true, while Jiang Yanxu had rejected him time and time again.
Who was sorry now?
If not for the internal conflicts in the Jiang family, Jiang Yanxu would never have known how deeply Yan An had loved him. He would never have mourned anything. And for thirteen years, Lu Xin'ai was sure that Jiang Yanxu had been too busy indulging his new wife to care about the tears Yan An had shed.
Silence stretched between them until Jiang Yanxu finally spoke, his voice hesitant, "Yan An never visited me in the last five years. Did he marry Wen Haoyi?" The rasp in his voice was a stark contrast to the quiet around them.
Upon hearing his question, Lu Xin'ai's expression suddenly faltered. She turned to face him, her eyes cold, emotionless.
The air in the car grew colder, freezing both of them in place.
Lu Xin'ai no longer felt hatred or anger toward him; it was a numbness born from unbearable sorrow. She turned her face forward, a smile that wasn't really a smile gracing her lips as she quietly repeated his words, "Is he married... is he married to Wen Haoyi?"
Her voice was barely a whisper, as though it came from a place deep within her soul. "He's ... dead. Five years ago. That's why he hasn't come to visit you all these years."
The world around them seemed to freeze. Jiang Yanxu stared at her, unable to comprehend what she had just said. The air was silent, as if the very fabric of time had stopped.
Jiang Yanxu felt like he had been struck, as if his heart had been ripped out. His eyes turned red, filled with rage and disbelief. He clenched his fists and slammed them against the car window, his voice breaking through the silence, "You're lying, right?! Please ... don't shock me like this!"
If Lu Xin'ai weren't a woman, Jiang Yanxu might have been violent. But deep down, he just wanted to hear her say, "Of course, I was lying. I was just joking." He wanted to hear her laugh, to reassure him that everything was okay.
But Lu Xin'ai didn't say anything. Her next words only shattered his heart even further.
"I'll take you to the cemetery where Brother Yan is buried."
Without waiting for him to respond, she pressed the accelerator, speeding through the crowded streets.
Jiang Yanxu felt like his body had become a lifeless weight, slumping in the seat as sorrow clouded his mind. His gaze became distant, his heart sinking deeper into despair.
He fought to keep himself composed, to stop himself from crying out, and held it in until they reached the cemetery.
He stumbled out of the car, but when they reached the gates of the cemetery, he suddenly stopped. His eyes landed on the pamphlet, reading the words: 'Rest in Peace for the Next Life.' He stared at them, reading them over and over, unable to grasp their meaning.
He stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, his mind refusing to believe the reality he had just heard.
He could accept the idea of Yan An marrying Wen Haoyi, but he could never accept that Yan An was gone.
Lu Xin'ai had been watching him quietly. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, whispering, "Brother-in-law, come with me."
Slowly, Jiang Yanxu followed her, his body still numb.
When they arrived at a grave, Jiang Yanxu felt as though his heart had exploded. He collapsed to his knees in front of the tombstone, tears streaming down his face. He clung to the grave, shouting out his regrets, his guilt, everything he had never said before.
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