I Might Have Fallen in Love With My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 47: Spin-off: The Past Life of Xie Ying’an

Chapter 47: Spin-off: The Past Life of Xie Ying’an

Morning light streamed through the glass into the room, a beam hitting my eyes, terribly uncomfortable, finally waking me from my hangover.

My head throbbed painfully as I struggled to get up and draw the curtains.

It had been rainy for several days; today the sunshine was rare and splendid. Standing before the window, I took a deep breath, my gaze pausing briefly on the garden in the backyard.

My wife, Wen Shiyi, held a pair of scissors, pruning the flower branches, sunlight dappled on her face, making her skin appear pale and translucent.

Suddenly, I lost all desire to bask in the sunlight, pulling the curtains shut and sitting back down on the bed.

After a while, someone knocked on the bedroom door from outside, Wen Shiyi’s voice trailing in.

"Ying’an, are you awake?"

I responded to her without opening the door.

Her soft voice came from outside, "Breakfast is ready, come out and have some, won’t you?"

After changing clothes, I walked out to see a modest breakfast laid out on the dining table downstairs, with Wen Shiyi waiting beside it.

Fastening a cufflink, I said indifferently, "I won’t eat. There’s work at the company; I need to leave."

Seeing a hint of disappointment on Wen Shiyi’s face, I still didn’t stay, just brushing past her.

Married for ten years, we’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for ten years. I still can’t quite remember if my wife’s name is Wen Shiyi or Wen Shiyi.

I didn’t want to marry her, that’s for certain.

But I had to marry her, as if that was our destiny.

By nine in the morning, the company’s staff had all arrived, one after another. Walking by their desks, they were trembling, not daring to look up.

The company had just gone public, every day was filled with endless tasks, non-stop meetings, and various social engagements.

Being busy allowed me a sigh of relief inside; only when I’m occupied can I stop myself from idle thoughts, good!

Li Qingran’s former deskmate, Ruan Ruan, is now my capable assistant. She entered on ten-centimeter heels, knocking on the door, putting a stack of documents in front of me.

"President Xie, this is a new proposal from the development department, please review it."

Perhaps because of last night’s drunkenness, the dreams all jumbled and bizarre, I didn’t rush to see the documents.

Instead, I suddenly asked Ruan Ruan, "How old is your child?"

Ruan Ruan was momentarily startled, seemingly unprepared for such an off-topic question.

Her professionally made-up face bore a professional smile, "Six years old."

My fingertips uncontrollably trembled. Li Qingran’s child was the same age as hers; I remembered clearly, so this year theirs is six too?

It seemed my asking the age of her child brought us strangely closer, or perhaps it was Ruan Ruan’s gossip nature, unchanged over so many years.

She asked cautiously, "President Xie, you’ve also been married for ten years, don’t you plan on having children?"

I looked up nonchalantly, and she immediately straightened up, silent.

I knew in their eyes, I was no longer just childfree; I was perhaps seen as ’impotent’.

I didn’t bother about their private discussions, as long as it didn’t reach my ears, I pretended nothing had happened.

I opened the document, glanced at the proposal casually, and tossed it back to Ruan Ruan.

"Not good enough, have them revise it."

Ruan Ruan, long accustomed, picked up the documents and left.

I massaged my temples, still feeling a faint ache from last night’s drinking.

The phone on the desk buzzed with a call from "Wen Ren." I didn’t want to answer and turned the phone face down.

After a while, Wen Ren called again. I knew his temperament; he wouldn’t stop until I answered.

"Son-in-law, I hope I haven’t disturbed you?" he said ingratiatingly when I picked up.

I was impatient: "Get to the point."

"Yes, yes, yes," Wen Ren chuckled, "Son-in-law, I’m a bit strapped for cash lately, could you possibly..."

My fingertips tapped on the table silently.

Unable to resist, Wen Ren rambled on, but I remained silent.

Finally impatient, Wen Ren shouted into the phone, "Xie Ying’an, I’m telling you, if I don’t see the money in my account tonight, I’ll have my brothers go to the police. After all, the case of my daughter’s rape all those years ago hasn’t..."

Ten years, and it’s still the same old tricks. I held my cell phone and laughed, "Alright, you go ahead and call the police."

Having said that, I hung up the call, turned off my phone, all in one smooth motion.

I pressed the intercom button on the desk, and Ruan Ruan quickly came in.

"President Xie."

"Get me a new SIM card," I said.

Ruan Ruan agreed and left.

I lay back in my chair and felt the tension that had been with me for decades suddenly relax, a pleasant sensation.

Walking this path to protect Li Qingran, I’ve been carrying the burden alone for ten years.

No one knows, and they don’t need to.

Back then, Li Qingran fell into An Xiaoxiao’s trap, and for some reason, they thought I liked Wen Shiyi, and they had Wen Shiyi kidnapped and humiliated.

Wen Ren didn’t think about seeking justice for his daughter first; instead, he gathered the evidence left by Li Qingran.

I don’t know how he found me, but he blackmailed me with that evidence to marry Wen Shiyi, saying if I didn’t agree, he’d send Li Qingran and Huang Qianyu to prison.

Was Wen Ren such a difficult person to deal with?

Wen Ren loved money, so I chose to use money to calm things down, but Wen Ren was unyieldingly firm, claiming that his daughter’s life had been ruined and I had to marry her.

Otherwise, he would go straight to the police station.

I locked up Wen Ren, never expecting that he had a final play; he made many copies of the evidence and gave them to his friends "in the business," telling them to call the police if anything happened to him.

If only Huang Qianyu went to prison, it would have been one thing, but with Li Qingran involved, I didn’t dare to gamble.

I knew that if Li Qingran went to jail, such a proud person would feel it was worse than death.

On one hand, I agreed to marry Wen Shiyi; on the other, I was silently figuring out a way to deal with this.

A few days later, I went to see Wen Shiyi, and I made it clear to her that I did not like her, and marrying her would not make us happy.

Wen Shiyi’s face, pale as death, smiled bitterly and said, "In my state, who else would like me?"

I didn’t say anything and walked out.

I did not expect to run into Li Qingran downstairs at Wen Shiyi’s place. She stepped back in disbelief upon seeing me, something in her eyes on the verge of shattering.

She asked me, "Even like this, do you still like Wen Shiyi?"

Why has Li Qingran always thought that I liked Wen Shiyi? All these years, the one I’ve truly liked has always been her.

Without waiting for my response, she ran off into the distance, covering her face and crying.

Wen Ren’s friends really did go to the police, and the police first took away Huang Qianyu.

I knew this was a warning from Wen Ren; I didn’t have time to consider it.

Wen Ren hadn’t been living cleanly these years, the friends he made were dirty and messy, and I couldn’t possibly find them all in a short time.

I agreed to marry Wen Shiyi.

Wen Ren became more demanding, saying to me, "Before you get married, make sure that Li Family girl is married off, to avoid any complications."

I would never agree to such a demand.

There’s nothing for Wen Ren to lose, he’s holding the evidence that’s my Achilles’ heel; I didn’t dare make any rash moves.

That night, I sat drinking strong liquor on the top floor of my house, in the cold wind.

My mom, Zhao Yan, came running up, sitting beside me.

She asked me, "What’s wrong, son?"

I’ve kept all these things from everyone, including my mom.

The night obscured my bitter smile as I said, "Mom, I might be getting married."

My mom laughed heartily, patting me on the shoulder, "That’s my boy, so you’ve finally won over Ranran!"

I said, "It’s with Wen Shiyi that I’ll be getting married."

My mom’s laughter froze on her face; she murmured lowly, "Who’s Wen Shiyi?"

The cold wind cut into my face like a knife, and in that moment, under the night sky, no one could understand the desolation in my heart.

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