Volume One, Chapter 81: By her side, he could always find peace within his heart.

The message Liang Muzhi sent to Xu Zhi vanished without a trace, as if sinking into the sea. He thought to himself that Xu Zhi had really become bold now, not even replying to his messages, climbing out the window to escape a wedding—was she truly planning never to return home?

No matter how rotten Xu Heping was, he was still her father, and besides, there was Zhao Nianqiao. Liang Muzhi didn't believe she would completely sever ties with her family.

Half the day passed, and he kept checking his phone, hoping Xu Zhi might reply. But she did not.

He was so frustrated that he tossed his phone aside. To distract himself, he picked up the controller to play games. Yet he couldn't concentrate at all; less than an hour later, he irritably threw the controller aside and grabbed his phone again. There were several new messages, all from Chen Jing.

He'd been watched by his family so closely these days that he had no opportunity to see Chen Jing. Her injury hadn't healed yet; she was still in the hospital. Fortunately, she had a caregiver with her, but being there so long inevitably led to complaints.

Chen Jing: When are you going to be able to come out? I'm almost ready to leave the hospital.

Chen Jing: Can you come pick me up on the day I'm discharged?

Chen Jing: If not, that's fine, I'm sad.JPG

Chen Jing: Did you tell your parents about Xu Zhi running away? The truth can't be hidden forever. You should tell them quickly so they can give up and stop forcing you to marry her.

Chen Jing: Xu Zhi has run away. Maybe you should run away too. Right now, it seems like she's the one rejecting you.

Liang Muzhi scrolled through her messages, feeling annoyed.

He regretted telling Chen Jing about Xu Zhi running away. There were things he couldn't explain to her. Now that Xu Zhi had fled, his parents might randomly arrange someone else for him, and that could be worse than Xu Zhi.

All this was because of Chen Jing’s special status; his parents wanted to use the engagement to discourage her. Why did she have to be the daughter of a corrupt official? He couldn't say that outright.

He was already preparing for the worst. At least he and Xu Zhi were familiar with each other and might manage to live in peace. If someone more formidable came along, someone who joined forces with his parents, he would never have a good life again.

But Xu Zhi’s disappearance left him in a passive position. He really did feel strangely dumped and was thoroughly displeased.

He didn’t reply, so Chen Jing sent another message: Why are you ignoring me? It makes me anxious. Are you really planning to get engaged?

Liang Muzhi squinted at his phone for a while before replying: I don’t get to decide anymore. My grandfather is still in the hospital, and my parents are being very forceful.

Chen Jing replied instantly: Why don’t you have a say in it? You could do what Xu Zhi did—leave home for a while. Once your grandfather’s health improves and your parents calm down, you can go back and talk things through.

Reading this, Liang Muzhi suddenly wondered if that was Xu Zhi’s plan as well.

But he couldn’t follow suit, at least not now. He responded: You want to give my grandfather a heart attack? Would he be happy if I ran away from home?

After sending that, he couldn’t help adding: And I can’t run away right now anyway; there are bodyguards watching me.

The phone was quiet for some time before Chen Jing sent another message: Muzhi, I can’t accept you being engaged to someone else. If... you really do, then I think I’ll have to leave you.

Liang Muzhi read her words and wanted to smash his phone.

Why was everyone pressuring him—his grandfather, his parents, and now even Chen Jing?

It was absurd. For over twenty years, he’d always thought he lived more freely than Xu Zhi, who seemed timid as a quail. Yet now, facing the same forced marriage, she escaped by jumping out a second-floor window, while he was being pressured from every direction and had to accept the fact that even Xu Zhi seemed to scorn him...

Fortunes change; retribution is indeed unpleasant.

For the first time, he couldn’t help but feel irritated with the way Chen Jing spoke.

He didn’t reply. Instead, he exited WeChat, and his screen switched to the SMS interface he had checked countless times. Xu Zhi’s side remained still and silent.

A sudden sense of despair, beset on all sides, washed over him. Whenever he’d felt lowest in the past, Xu Zhi would always comfort him gently, her patience with him seemingly endless, always forgiving.

Beside her, he could always find peace within himself.

But now, the whole world felt like a battlefield.

That afternoon, as Xu Zhi and Liang Jinmo returned to the hotel, Liang Jinmo was busy in the study.

Xu Zhi had wanted to discuss renting an apartment with him today, but seeing how busy he was, she refrained from disturbing him.

She chatted with Yang Xue on WeChat, asking about the situation in the urban village. Yang Xue took a long time to reply: I’m working overtime with Cheng Yu right now. I’ll come to the hotel and talk with you in detail later~

It was clear Yang Xue was very happy—even a simple overtime shift with Cheng Yu delighted her.

Xu Zhi suddenly felt a bit envious. It reminded her of the way she used to envy Liang Muzhi. Those who grew up loved always carried a bright, warm aura.

But she didn’t have it, nor did Liang Jinmo.

Even so, she couldn’t truly empathize with everything he felt. The unhappy each have their own misfortune, and now, faced with his gloom, she had no idea how to comfort him.

As evening fell, Yang Xue came to the hotel to see Xu Zhi.

Afraid their conversation would disturb Liang Jinmo, Xu Zhi led Yang Xue into the secondary bedroom and closed the door.

Yang Xue was boisterous, and the first thing she talked about was still her and Cheng Yu. Even a mundane overtime shift was turned into a lively tale.

Liang Jinmo finished his work, took his cup to the tea table in the living room to get water, and caught sight of the closed bedroom door.

Yang Xue’s voice was loud; even from here, he could vaguely hear it.

He took a sip of water and walked over, intending to ask if they wanted to invite Zhou He for dinner. But before he knocked, he heard Yang Xue speaking.

“I'll ask my landlord for you, see if there are any vacant rooms in the compound where I live. At least all the landlords here have air conditioners. The compound next door—those landlords are stingy, won’t supply air conditioning, and I heard their meters run fast! You know, the electricity bill in the urban village is actually quite expensive for tenants—twice the rate of standard residential electricity!”

Yang Xue clicked her tongue, “Now that you’ve moved out, even if you have some savings, you’ll need to be frugal. Honestly, I don’t recommend you renting in the urban village; those places are definitely not as comfortable as here. You might as well wait until your job is settled, then discuss with young Mr. Liang.”

Xu Zhi’s voice was softer; he strained to hear. She said, “Just help me ask first. Staying in a hotel isn’t a long-term solution...”

He paused at the door, his fingers gripping the cup tighter and tighter, knuckles turning white.

In the end, the hand he’d meant to use to knock dropped, and he turned back to the study.

Xu Zhi finished chatting with Yang Xue, and seeing it was already past seven in the evening, they planned to go downstairs for dinner. Leaving the secondary bedroom, Xu Zhi went to find Liang Jinmo.

Perhaps because he’d lived alone for so long, Liang Jinmo had no habit of closing doors. When she knocked, he looked up from his desk and met Xu Zhi’s gaze.

In that moment, their eyes met, and Xu Zhi was pierced by his look.

The man’s face was expressionless, his dark pupils clouded and gloomy, like a murky, cold pond, tinged with an indescribable hostility.

His gaze felt as sharp as an ice awl, pinning her in place.