142

hest and stammering apologies: "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."Her voice was exceptionally pleasant, like the chirping of a small bird, pleasing to the ears. She lowered her head, revealing a sliver of...Rong Ling was multi-tasking, feeding Lin Meng while eating herself, and also tending to Da Tu Bo's emotions, chatting with him to keep the mood at the table from becoming too awkward and embarrassing Lin Meng.

The two chatted, talking about some neighborhood matters and also some things about the mine. Rong Ling said that if the couple had any suggestions or proposals, or any objections to the mine's affairs, they could tell him. The couple just kept smiling and saying there was nothing, they were quite satisfied. These days, compared to before, it was much better, and both of them were very content.

Rong Ling himself suggested that the company would be responsible for providing a vehicle. Every other half month, they would provide free transportation for villagers to and from the town, transporting goods or taking villagers who need to go to the town. This large truck runs much faster than a donkey cart. If it were implemented, it would be a great benefit for the villagers of Xiping New Village. The elder couple listened with delight, repeatedly thanking Rong Ling.

But Lin Meng, upon hearing this suggestion, was stunned.

My heart ached, and I felt increasingly miserable!

She'd rather be a little less intelligent, that way she wouldn't overthink things. But she wasn't stupid, so she could probably guess that Rong Ling's proposal had something to do with her!

This man...

She silently picked up his chopsticks and ate the dish, her heart both sour and soft.

She ate faster than him because most of the time he was feeding her. Only when she finished and called out to stop did he seriously start feeding himself. Lin Meng was also afraid of delaying his meal and even more afraid that if it took too long, the food would get cold, so she immediately followed Great Uncle Tu's words and started chatting, distracting Rong Ling from eating.

The old couple, Da Tu Bo and his wife, looked at each other and chuckled. They vaguely understood Lin Meng's intentions and began chatting with him.

After the meal, Rong Ling didn't rush to leave. Da Tu Shen was kind and invited her and Rong Ling into the house for a chat. Lin Meng felt that if they were alone in the house so late, it would be even more awkward. So, she suggested going for a walk.

Rong Ling frowned and looked at her exposed calf, feeling a little reluctant. It was colder at night here, and she had a cold. Going out would only make it worse!

"Let's go back to the room!"

Lin Meng gave a light smile and softly tugged at his arm, pulling him outside. "Just out for a bit, it won't be in the way, just think of it as digesting our meal."

He nodded, but added: "Be quick!"

She smiled, but didn't speak, and pulled him out.

As night fell, the temperature had dropped considerably from daytime. Even the wind felt wilder than before. However, the surrounding earthen mounds acted as a barrier, reducing the force of the wind somewhat. Lin Meng had just finished his meal and was wearing Rong Ling's outer coat, so he didn't feel very cold. Rong Ling, on the other hand, had already put on another coat that he had brought along to change into.

It was also because of this that Lin Meng was able to come up with the idea of going for a walk.

"Didn't expect to see you mining here!"

She walked slowly, murmuring softly.

He fell slightly behind her by half a step, positioning himself to the side and rear of her body. Without making a sound, he silently shielded her from some of the wind.

"Your family's business seems pretty big!"

He didn't respond, and she wasn't bothered. She had only managed to get him to leave this afternoon, and now they were walking together again. Bringing up the topic was just idle chatter, a way to break the ice.

To his surprise, he took over the conversation. “It’s quite large, encompassing most important fields. Mineral resources are something everyone wants a piece of, and they're usually government affairs. The mines here mainly produce rare earth minerals; these are precious and are now subject to restrictions. Back then, it took a lot of effort to secure the mining rights for this area!”

Lin Meng felt that this topic seemed to involve some rather private matters, and it wasn't something she should be hearing. She hurriedly interrupted him.

"Rong Ling, how many days are you going to stay here!"

"Three days!"

He did not hesitate, it seemed like it was planned beforehand.

She uttered an "Oh" and fell silent for a moment.

He suddenly added, "When the time comes, you come with me!"

Her steps faltered, her heart warmed, and she immediately regained her composure and continued walking.

"I thought I wouldn't be able to leave this place for another month. The old farmer said that the shopping cart pulled by a donkey only goes out once every couple of months. There's no way to make phone calls here, and I can't contact anyone else. Unexpectedly, I ran into you!"

She chuckled softly, a warm sound that couldn't hide her joy.

He listened, reaching out to gently hold her. She turned her head to look at him. Though the heavens were dim, the solitary stars twinkling above illuminated her delicate features. Her petite face, with its finely defined contours and a slightly parted pink mouth, was as beautiful as a painting.

"Wasn't that sad!" His voice suddenly dropped to a low murmur.

She blinked, not quite understanding what he was saying!

"When a person walks on the road, is he sad! Is he afraid!" It is said that there were wild wolves haunting that path!

Her nose soured, and she immediately turned her head away, lowering her eyes and remaining silent.

How not to be sad! How not to be afraid!

We've all made it through!

"I'm doing great!"

He, hearing this, tightly grasped her small hand. His palm was thick and warm, unlike hers, which was often icy at the fingertips. Feeling his warmth, that silent gesture of comfort, made her smile again.

"Forget about that, it's in the past!"

She then said, “When I first saw you getting off the plane, I was taken aback. I thought you were so mysterious!”

He chuckled, teasing her. “Your first thought wasn’t to run away! Seeing you with your back to me, hiding like that, did you think I was a ferocious beast”

She blushed and mumbled in defense. "It's...not exactly that I wanted to hide!"

For a moment, there was silence between them again.

"Was it Xiao Yi who left you there!" He held back, but he really couldn't hold back any longer, so he finally asked.

Lin Meng hurriedly shook her head. "It's not his fault."

"There must be some connection, right" This man was frighteningly intelligent; he immediately came to such a conclusion.

She moved her lips, seeing his deep gaze fixed on her, somewhat focused. When she thought back to him, even though she had angered him, he still cared for her and came back to her, her heart softened.Although the old couple who hosted her were very hospitable, their own lives were barely enough to get by, struggling to keep afloat. They wanted to save money to move to the county and to send their children to university. Naturally, the food at home wouldn't be too extravagant. A pot of vegetable soup with minced meat, both children ate it with relish. One could imagine how luxurious the chicken, duck, fish, and meat brought by the village chief were! These things must have been instructed by Rong Ling.

And not long after Rong Ling left, Old Tu entered the house. He mentioned the money Rong Ling had given him and even said that he felt it was a bit too much, making him uncomfortable to accept. Since the money came from Rong Ling, Lin Meng felt awkward deciding what should happen to it in the end. She just smiled and told Old Tu to take it all.

This man is actually very meticulous!

To her, too, was much patience!

She's not dead, so she can certainly feel these things. That's why she's always wanted to keep a clear boundary between them, only wavering slightly.

Here is Xinsheng Village, a place where you can't even make a phone call. There are no news media here, no troublemakers who thrive on chaos, and no one who knows her or his past. So why not be genuine for once and try to get along with him It's better than driving him away, isn't it!

She made up her mind and decided not to hide it anymore. Anyway, since this man claimed he had the ability to find out, she didn't want to waste his resources.

“Xiao Yi has a friend, everyone calls her Xia Jie. She’s the one who brought me here, saying…saying that I followed…” she swallowed hard, gritted her teeth, and continued. “She said that if you follow Xiao Yi, you have to show some skills. But when she left me behind, she did say that as long as I could get out of here myself and live back, she would never bother me again. I think, a woman like her should keep her promises. So, I should be fine!”

Rong Ling frowned deeply. He already knew that Xiao Yi's background was complicated, with all sorts of troublesome characters in the Silver Wolf Group. He had warned Xiao Yi at the hospital to let her go home, but Xiao Yi refused, thinking he was powerful enough. In the end, something went wrong.

After this, don't see Xiao Yi anymore. Go back home. I will handle things with Xiao Yi!

"No... not really, right!" Lin Meng's heart was hoping for this, but could it really happen! She had been with Xiao Yi for quite some time now, and she had also met many of his underlings. Would someone like him listen to Rong Ling

She thought for a moment, sighed inwardly, and then smiled up at him. "No trouble, thank you!"

"It's not a trouble!" Rong Ling said in a deep voice, his eyes gazing deeply at Lin Meng. "You can go home and stay for a few days first, and then I will arrange for you to go abroad!"

One after another, they all surprisingly came up with the same idea.

Lin Meng was stunned, staring intently at Rong Ling's handsome face. Her mind immediately recalled Rong Sanbo, and she shook her head.

"Rong Ling, don't cause trouble for me. I'm not worth you running around for anymore!"

Rong Ling narrowed her eyes.

Lin Meng smiled and asked, "Is your third uncle really amazing!"

Rong Ling suddenly widened her eyes, her gaze like burning coals fixed on her face.

She giggled softly, her face flushed. "I heard that your Rong family is particularly large and has many businesses. So as the head of the household, are you tired"

His eyes flashed, but he said nothing.

Her small hand moved slightly, and instead she reached back to grasp his palm.

"Don't overwork yourself, you're not made of iron. You need to rest. Money is always something we can never earn enough of, so take good care of yourself!"

This is what she should have said when she left him.

But at that time, her purpose was to make him angry, to make him hate her, to make him resent her, so words of concern like this were completely inappropriate in that situation.

Well, she finally got a chance and spoke up.

"Care about me!" His pupils tightened slightly, asking with an unreadable expression.

She laughed softly and replied, "Hmm"

However, he immediately added.

But Rong Ling, we can't go back, can we!

Though she still smiled, her eyes could not hide the slight dimming.

He raised his spirits slightly, only to fall back down again in an instant!

Yes, she followed Xiao Yi. How could she possibly go back!

She was already a big headache, and now that she's been pushed away, is it too silly to go back and grab her again!

Seeing his silence, she immediately turned her head and continued walking forward. However, there was no trace of a smile on her face anymore. Her heart felt as cold and clear as this moonlit night!

"Actually, I understand what you're doing!"

He suddenly spoke, but his words were incoherent and unclear, leaving one wondering what he meant.

She pricked up her ears, though still walking, she had already given most of her attention to him.

He continued, "Some things, at the time, I didn't understand. But after a while, it all became clear. If I could take the position of head of the family and still not see through your tricks, then it would truly be an insult to that position!"

Lin Meng was stunned. In an instant, her pale face became even paler. She felt the wind blowing on her seemed to grow colder, sending chills down her spine and causing her to tremble uncontrollably.

His voice, a hushed murmur, continued as if speaking to himself.

"At that time, although things were difficult, it wasn't a complete disaster. If you had trusted me, and we had weathered that storm, everything would have been fine. But you..."

He smiled wryly. "But you just went ahead and acted on your own, everything became set in stone, there's no going back now. You know, if you had trusted me back then things would have been so much better!"

He sighed lightly.

She suddenly burst into tears.

He understands. He actually understands everything!

As expected, she wasn't wrong. This man was so smart; he would definitely understand what she was doing to herself when she made that self-destructive move. But even if he understood, what then!

She choked back sobs, her voice thick with tears.

"Since you understand, why... do you still insult me like that!"

What are you talking about, owing money and paying it back with your body!

She couldn't bear such humiliation; she felt like she truly became what he saw her as, contemptible. She didn't receive his understanding but only his disgust and contempt. It would be better to just die!

But since he understands, how could he treat her like that! Every time she thinks about that night, her heart still aches!

He stiffened, though embarrassed, he honestly explained.

"It's probably because of hate, hate that you ruined everything, hate that you didn't believe me!"

Hate!

Still hate it, I guess.

She cried out. "So...are you still hating me now!"

He didn't answer, but that was already an implicit agreement!

She cried bitterly in disappointment.

Then... hate... it is...

He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, but she didn't know what significance such a hug held anymore.

He reached out again, wanting to wipe the tears from her face.

She hurriedly dodged, but she raised her left hand and grasped his large palm, covering her own eyes. Her head hung low, the scalding hot tears, due to gravity, all splashed onto the palm of his hand.

You said... you wanted to cut ties, so... just let's cut ties like that... okay! You can hate me, but... just let it go, okay! Don't come looking for me again!

Since you can't go back to the beginning, don't try to flirt with her. She'll only think it's an insult, just like what happened in the car before.

She was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Her slender frame, nestled in his arms, trembled like a bundle of leaves. He felt as if with just a little more pressure, she would fall apart in his arms, so he tightened his grip. But there was nothing he could do to answer her pleas!

How could he possibly handle something he wasn't sure about!

How can a hasty declaration of "two clear" truly be two clear!

He clearly didn't intend to see her, yet fate kept bringing her right before him, time and again. He couldn't escape, so how could he refuse to come She was right in front of him now; how could he possibly push her away or pretend not to see her! It wasn't that he wouldn't go to her, it was just that he couldn't avoid her!

His silence again made her cry even harder!

"How could you… be… so cruel!" How could you not spare her!

She cried, complaining, her throat hoarse.

In an instant, he felt her tears flow like a spring, almost soaking his palm. It tugged at his heart, both painful and suffocating.

She huddled in his arms like that, her silken hair covering her face as she wept into a ball of sorrow. Her pain was so profound, her grief so overwhelming, yet her face remained hidden from view.

Is he bad He asked himself, but his heart was filled with a sudden confusion!

Years later, as time passed, he finally understood that the burning tears, on that cold night, accompanied by her sobs, had burrowed into his heart, leaving no room for anything else. It's a pity, though, that he realized it all too late!

Hate, because it is hard to let go!

It's hard to let go, and falling for this little woman is actually a disguised form of love!ng with him, she would live in fear every day. Life would always be filled with anxiety and uncertainty, without a bright future!Tolerate, she needs to be thanked! Saying a thousand words or ten thous...