Chapter Eighteen

  Since the last conversation with Yang Rui, Li Huan gained a deeper understanding of Wang Zhiqiao and began to consider abandoning his promise. He wanted to be honest with Wang Zhiqiao, feeling that he didn't have the ability or patience to spend time helping her slowly come out of her own world.

  At that time, we were all very young and couldn't even take responsibility for our own lives, let alone someone else's. Some things were too heavy a burden for us to bear at the time. She put all her luck on herself, whether she could live up to her trust in herself.

  "Zhi Jiao." Li Huan stretched out his hand to pick up the pen and lightly poked Wang Zhi Jiao, who put down the pen in his hand, turned around, and saw that Li Huan's face was serious. He knew that what he wanted to say was very important, so he looked at Li Huan seriously and waited for him to continue speaking.

  Looking at Wang Zijiao's eyes as pure as lake water, Li Miao couldn't utter a word. No matter what, she couldn't bear to say anything that would disappoint her. She felt like she was ruthlessly crushing someone's hope, it was so cruel.

  "Speak up! What's going on?" Seeing him staring at himself for half a day without speaking, his eyes were heavy. But he didn't say a word, Wang Zhiqiao couldn't help but ask him what was wrong.

  Li Hui stared at Wang Zhiqiao, his mouth opening and closing, finally, he couldn't bear to look into her eyes and say the decisive words, but he had no choice... He could only close his eyes, steel himself, and say to Wang Zhiqiao.

  "Can't you, don't look at me like that." After a long time of hesitation, Li Hui sighed and still couldn't help but feel Wang Zhiqiao's gaze on her even with her eyes closed.

  "Ah, it's just that simple. Alright." Wang Zhiqiao smiled, thinking he was hesitating for half a day because he had something difficult to say, and couldn't bring himself to speak. It turned out he was just too embarrassed to say it while being stared at by her. Wang Zhiqiao turned her head to the other side, not looking at him, waiting for his next words.

  "Zhi Qiao..." Li Huan lay on the table, his voice very low and muffled, softly reciting Wang Zhiqiao's name, with a rising tone at the end, the last syllable dragged out for a long time, like a murmur or a whisper. Just that simple name was called out by him with infinite charm. A long time later, when someone gently recited his own name, Wang Zhiqiao would always think of that person who had once softly recited his own name with a melancholy expression.

  "Hmm" seemed to be infected by her, and Wang Zijiao also responded softly. The atmosphere was subtly changing.

  "If, just if, I couldn't help you, would you blame me?" Li Hui buried his head in his arm, feeling ashamed to show his face. At that time, the boys were full of grandeur, emphasizing the importance of keeping one's promises and having the courage to take a bullet for their brothers. They always had too much passion that needed to be vented out. Feeling like he had failed someone was especially shameful, just like slapping himself in the face in front of others.

  "Agreed." Li Hui heard Wang Zhiqiao's response and suddenly lifted his head.

  "Still won't?" Looking at Li Huan, he raised his head as expected and smiled, saying the unfinished words.

  "You actually dare to deceive me, Zhi Qiao, you've become bad! " Li Huan couldn't help but laugh. Looking at the woman in front of him with a smile in her eyebrows and eyes, his mood was no longer so oppressive. His mood also became more relaxed.

  Wang Zijiao saw Li Huan finally being amused by himself, and then slowly opened his mouth to seriously answer the question he had just asked.

  "Li Hui, even if you don't help me, I won't blame you. Not everything can be helped by others, right? If you can agree with me, I'll be very happy. So for some things, you can just say it directly without any burden in your heart."

  After saying what she wanted to say, Wang Zhiqiao smiled at Li Huan. Although his question was not within her expectation, she had a feeling that one day he would bring it up. Because in fact, she didn't have confidence in him, more importantly, she didn't have confidence in herself.

  At that time, I thought too simply. These past few days, I gave him a lot of pressure. Actually, on that day when she was bullied, it was only then that she realized her own selfishness and didn't know what to do. All the pressure was shifted onto his shoulders. If he hadn't scolded her that day, she wouldn't have thought that he would also feel pressured. She completely ignored his thoughts and feelings, and didn't consider them at all.

  Actually, sometimes she thought of telling him that she didn't need his help anymore, but she still had her own selfishness, she didn't want to let him go so easily. Didn't want to. Not at all.

  Those who live in darkness for too long, the light is as important to her as a dying person struggling, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, will not let go easily.

  She had been waiting for him to take the initiative to say it out loud, because she really couldn't bring herself to utter the words to end it.

  Let him put an end to the ending that was destined from the beginning.

  She just didn't know when that day would come, and now she hadn't expected it to come so early. She also had to thank this day for coming so early, which allowed her not to have too much attachment.

  If you say no, I'll let you go.

  I thought I had made all the necessary preparations and would be prepared for anything, but when that day finally arrived, I still found myself feeling so sad.

  "Thank you for this period of time, for all the good to me. I will be grateful to you, always. Now, please allow me to turn around, I..." Wang Zhiqiao started to speak incoherently, not knowing what to say next.

  "Ah Jiao~" Li Hui saw Wang Zhi Jiao's eyes drifting away, this idiot.

  "Alright, I don't know what else to say either. Just remember one thing, I won't blame you. In fact, I'm very grateful to you." Li Hui saw that she was pretending to be strong and his heart began to ache for her.

  "Thank you." Wang Zhiqiao solemnly thanked him, and as she turned around, she was afraid that if she delayed for a moment, tears would burst out. Suddenly feeling someone holding onto her, she turned back in surprise.

  "Dummy, I said if, if means it's not a real thing." Li Hui saw Wang Zhiqiao biting back tears with red eyes while being pulled by him. Li Hui's hand tightened involuntarily, hurting Wang Zhiqiao.

  "It hurts." Wang Zijiao looked at Li Hui with a pitiful expression, and Li Hui immediately let go.

  "I won't not help you, I'm just saying if, silly." Li Miao touched the top of Wang Zhiqiao's hair, looking into her eyes, as if he would never be able to say no to her.

  I was just probing earlier, and I also had the idea of retreating, but when I saw her tearful eyes, all my thoughts became unimportant, there were no more thoughts, only wanting to make her happy, wanting to see her smile.

  "I thought that..." she said, halfway through her sentence, Wang Zhiqiao's disguise could no longer hold on, tears fell without warning, sliding out of her eyes and dripping down her cheeks one by one.

  "I know it's my fault, don't cry, okay?" Although it wasn't the first time Li Miao saw Wang Zijiao's tears, he still looked flustered and didn't know what to do.

  "You clearly know, I..." Wang Zhiqiao said, her voice cracking with sorrow, unable to continue as tears flowed even more torrentially. She didn't cry out loud like many girls do, but was the type who silently shed tears, suppressing her emotions, which made people feel even more heartbroken for her.

  Although she was not very noticeable, she still attracted the attention of people around her. But Li Hao seemed to ignore it, he had never cared about other people's opinions, which is why there were all sorts of rumors about him.

  However, Wang Zhiqiao was different. Even if she didn't care about others, she still had to consider other people's opinions. Most middle school girls have thin skin and can't bear being the center of attention like this.

  Wang Zijiao lowered her head, blocking the view of others. Li Huan noticed Wang Zijiao's discomfort and could only gesture to the people around them that he didn't intentionally make her cry.

  "Don't worry, I won't go back on my word." Li Hui knew that she had taken her own words to heart just now, otherwise she wouldn't have shed tears.

  Wang Zhiqiao remained still, and Li Huan had no choice but to continue coaxing her. Although she didn't take care of herself, she could only reap what she sowed and taste the bitter fruit herself.

  "You don't have to force yourself, I know you've already started to back down in your heart, it's just that you're too embarrassed to say it out loud. Let me help you make the decision, you don't have to feel awkward." Wang Zhiqiao said after a while. Li Huan was stunned on the spot.

  "It's my fault, I needed your help but didn't do anything and caused you trouble and disturbance, I'm deeply sorry." He immediately turned around. Li Hui didn't say a word, his outstretched hand withdrew back.

  Li Hui knew that Wang Zhiqiao was very serious and stern when talking to him. He didn't expect her to be so sensitive, noticing even his slightest emotional changes, which she remembered clearly. Usually eloquent and articulate, he found himself at a loss for words for the first time, unsure of how to salvage the situation.