Chapter 6

Han Sheng emerged from the bathroom and passed by the sofa, where Tong Yehui reached out and grasped her wrist. Han Sheng turned back, but he dared not meet her gaze, lowering his eyelids to look at the ground and said: "The flight is at six o'clock tomorrow morning, we need to get up very early"

Finally, the announcement in the hall began to broadcast in both Chinese and English regarding the security check for the flight to Huan Sheng. Observing the gradually forming lines at several security checkpoints, Tong Yehui remained seated, knowing that Huan Sheng had no idea which flight he was actually supposed to take.

On the way, Tong Yehui was driving, and outside the car window, the vibrant lights and bustling nightlife flashed by. The neon lights illuminated his face in alternating brightness, revealing a somber expression. This night marked his final encounter with Han Sheng, and his primary purpose was to personally see her board the plane

As Zhaosheng walked into the living room, he nearly brushed past Huan Sheng, who had just emerged from the bathroom. Huan Sheng kept her gaze straight ahead; she had changed into a new outfit, consisting of flared trousers and a silk short-sleeved top. She was tall, and there was an ethereal quality to her movements. She walked past Tong Yehui and sat down on the sofa, staring blankly at the tops of her feet, remaining silent and motionless.

The regretful nerves felt somewhat numb, as she mechanically turned and walked into the security checkpoint, accepting the inspection with somewhat sluggish movements, and then slowly walked forward, her expression dazed and not looking back

Han Sheng's chest felt as if it were pressed down by a weight of blood. In that fleeting moment, a glimmer of hope had risen within her heart, but now she finally understood completely. The man's kneeling just now was his ultimate expulsion and abandonment of her. That kneel was not for Han Sheng; it was for himself. In the future, when he reflects on his own actions, he can tell himself that he has reached the utmost limit, that Han Sheng never forgave him until the very end.

Tong Yehui continued to walk forward, and at the moment of brushing past, Du Cheng asked in a weak and uncertain tone: "Han Sheng, how is it now?"

Perhaps the sadness has gone too far, and regret has instead brought about no emotional fluctuations. She actually wants to tell the person in front of her: "She does not care about having spent five years in prison for him; what truly saddens her is that during those five years, he never once came to see her. She does not mind being used by him; what she truly fears is being hated and abandoned."

That night was like a complete severance, a cast-off, and regret became a painful spot for Tong Yehui. He wanted to distance himself from everything about her, and he took Han Sheng's identification, which he handed over to Deng Hui to handle that day. He knew that Han Sheng had a criminal record, making it difficult to obtain a visa and passport, but he was aware that Deng Hui still had ways to create a fake certificate.

On the single bed, there was the scent of laundry detergent and sunlight. That night, Tong Yehui dreamt again. He felt the fingertips of a person touching his own fingertips, then slowly, little by little, caressing up his fingers and the back of his hand. It was as if they were hesitant to touch, yet filled with reluctance.

On that day, a peculiar customer visited this boutique. This customer was handsome, dressed in an elegant and refined manner, yet exuded an aura of melancholy and a sense of keeping others at a distance. He swept away their latest autumn collection as if he were on a shopping spree. Throughout the shopping process, he kept his head down, not uttering a single word. When he took clothes from the rack, a keen-eyed salesgirl noticed that his hands were slightly trembling. At one moment, when he lifted his gaze, his eyes were filled with mist, giving the impression that he was on the verge of tears.

While passing by the commercial street, Tong Yehui suddenly recalled something. The Cayenne, which had already driven past, abruptly slammed on the brakes and made a U-turn into the parking lot of a shopping mall on the commercial street.

Tong Yehui nodded: "Yes"

While it was still dark outside, the lights in the living room turned on. Tong Yehui lay motionless in bed, listening to Han Sheng get up. She walked to the living room and then turned on the light. There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of a paper bag rustling, and Han Sheng's footsteps returned.

Tong Yehui turned over and sat up from the bed, suddenly feeling very sad, with a dull pain in the area of the heart

Tong Yehui returned to the company to work and encountered Du Cheng in the office corridor. Du Cheng asked him: "Did you see her off?"

This man is someone who values his pride above all else. The extent of his arrogance and selfishness has become clear to him during these years in prison. Yet now, this self-centered and emotionally detached man has set aside his dignity and knelt before her, asking: Can we start over? Han Sheng locked eyes with the man. In the spacious waiting hall, the passing pedestrians suddenly became a backdrop, as they found themselves in the same space, gazing at each other. Han Sheng's mind began to spin.

The sky downstairs has not yet shown a glimmer of light, but they welcomed the dawn at the horizon on the highway to the airport. Two individuals who have reached the end of their journey are racing towards the rising sun. Inside the car, the two remain silent; Han Sheng gazes out the window, quietly watching the city where he grew up recede behind him, unable to articulate who has truly abandoned whom

She endured until 9:30, and then she got up. She went to the bathroom to wash up, while Tong Yehui's eyes followed her figure. As she disappeared behind the door, Tong Yehui just stared at the door frame

Tong Yehui watched Han Sheng walk away through a door until he disappeared from sight, then turned around and stepped back along the path he had come from

Outside the airport, the sun has already risen, and a large expanse of deep red clouds stretches across the horizon, as vivid as blood. The morning breeze carries a chilling coldness. Tong Yehui looks up at the sky, where a bright red sun hangs, and takes a deep breath. From this day forward, this city will no longer have the person named Han Sheng.

The passport would be ready in half a month. During this period, Tong Yehui did not visit Han Sheng again. His life returned to a normal trajectory over these two weeks: going to work and coming home, attending social gatherings, occasionally staying overnight at Ren Jing's place, maintaining a rigorous work schedule, and enjoying regular rest, no longer having to sleep in a suffocating room, waking up repeatedly in the middle of the night.

He then brushed past Du Cheng, as the nascent sunlight streamed in through the window at the end of the corridor, casting their figures into two long shadows.

As the crowd at the security checkpoint began to disperse, Tong Yehui looked at the ground and said, "Han Sheng, let's go, it's time to board."

Tong Yehui finished washing up. Without him saying anything, Han Sheng stood up by herself, holding a flat handbag containing her mother's portrait. When leaving, she took the initiative to carry a suitcase.

His voice was not loud, carrying an unreal illusion. Han Sheng could not help but turn her head, and then she saw Tong Yehui, just two steps behind her, truly kneeling down in front of her under the gaze of everyone.

He walked out of the room, forcing himself to remain calm. As the door closed behind him, the sound of the lock clicking shut tied a knot in Tong Yehui's heart. He thought that for the rest of his life, he would never allow anyone to casually mention Han Sheng in his presence again. On this day, he did not buy breakfast for Han Sheng.

Tong Yehui's movement paused for a moment: "She has lost weight"

This gloomy, affluent guest ultimately dragged three suitcases from the adjacent LV boutique, filled with all the clothes he had purchased. His departure left countless speculations and provided many clues for the young female sales assistants, fueling their pink fantasies

Tong Yehui felt someone watching him in the midst of confusion. He thought he must be dreaming, for he could sense that the gaze peering at him in the dream was not lewd, devoid of aggression, gentle as if caressing, filled with reluctance and imbued with a desolate sadness.

On the day he received his passport, Tong Ye also instructed Deng Hui to book a flight ticket for him, for a flight at six in the morning. After obtaining the ticket, he went to Han Sheng's residence that evening

Since that day, Han Sheng truly disappeared from the city of B. However, she boarded a different flight, and her destination was not Toronto, Canada.

The sound of water in the bathroom ceased, and Tong Yehui turned over and got out of bed, putting on yesterday's clothes one piece at a time. His eyes returned to the depth of an ancient well, his face chiseled and profound, with features that were serious and restrained

Tong Yehui dragged three large suitcases up to Han Sheng's fourth floor, drenched in sweat as he entered. Inside, Han Sheng was still sitting in the rocking chair with his knees hugged, staring at the television without even lifting his eyes.

Tong Yehui knew that Han Sheng had already seen the set of clothes he had placed alone on the coffee table, she always knew what he wanted her to do, he turned over and buried his head forcefully into the pillow

The next day, the top executives of the two companies formed a delegation to visit Europe, where they conducted an inspection of the local wind power plants, lasting for two weeks

Regretfully silent, Tong Yehui tightened his grip on the wrist he was holding, his thumb unconsciously rubbing up and down: "You may have to sit on a plane for over 20 hours, it will be quite exhausting, but you can sleep on the plane... Once you arrive, a lawyer will be there to meet you; he is of Chinese descent, and he will arrange your life there properly, so you need not worry. You will be living in a Chinese community, so there is no need for concern... I have hired a specialist to manage your investment account, so you do not need to worry about expenses. Canada is very cold, so make sure to wear enough clothing." Tong Yehui spoke in pauses, and by the end, his tone had become strained, finally unable to utter another word, leaving a red mark on Huan Sheng's wrist.

In a brightly lit boutique, Tong Yehui discovered the autumn collection that had been put on display ahead of schedule. He focused intently, taking down one piece after another in the size that Han Sheng could wear from the rack, turning around to hand them to the sales assistant who was following him. He nearly cleared the entire rack of clothes, and soon the garments in the sales assistant's arms were about to surpass her head.

On the second day, he got up early, and the summer sky was still dimly bright, at most around five or six o'clock. Tong Yehui took advantage of the faint light to enter Han Sheng's sleeping room and found her identification from a dresser. He was well aware of Han Sheng's habit of placing her belongings.

The departure hall of B City Airport was not empty early in the morning; it was a space that never ceased to operate. They arrived several minutes early, and the check-in and processing took some time. In the final twenty minutes, the two sat in the hall, very close to each other.

Regretfully breaking free from the shackles, she returned to the bedroom in slippers, making a "slap slap" sound, still leaving the door open, and fell asleep. Tong Yehui was left in the living room, and after a long while, he raised his hands and buried his face in them. After a moment, he rubbed his face vigorously, got up to take a shower, and then went to bed.

Although Han Sheng is somewhat foolish and may not understand others, she can see through Tong Yehui clearly

Huan Sheng rushed to the boarding gate, where a flight attendant was facing her. Grabbing the attendant, she babbled in a language that the attendant could not understand. Huan Sheng became increasingly anxious, pushed the attendant away, and quickly dashed out of the cabin. The attendant behind her shouted loudly, and Huan Sheng ran even faster, as if being chased by a ghost.

Regretfully, I stood up from my seat, shouting in my heart: I have never acted recklessly, you have never allowed me to feel at ease.

At the security checkpoint with the fewest people, there was only one person ahead undergoing inspection. Finally reaching the front, they stood outside the yellow line, while Tong Yehui, who had been looking elsewhere, suddenly spoke from behind Han Sheng: "Han Sheng, if I were to kneel down and apologize to you right now, would you be able to forget everything I have done wrong to you, and can we start anew?"

The sound of crying made Tong Yehui feel a wave of discomfort in his heart, and finally, he woke up feeling uneasy. He opened his eyes, and the room was still shrouded in darkness. The space in front of the bed was empty, and a gentle breeze from outside blew in, causing the sheer fabric of the curtains to sway slightly.

Before leaving work in the afternoon, Du Cheng specifically approached Tong Yehui to inquire about the amount he had arranged for Han Sheng. Tong Yehui informed him that it was 20 million Canadian dollars. Du Cheng issued a check to Tong Yehui, who said nothing and accepted it, placing it deep into a drawer of his desk.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in, causing the curtains to rustle loudly. Tong Yehui was abruptly awakened, and the space in front of the bed was empty, devoid of any trace of Han Sheng. It turned out that he was indeed dreaming.

Not long after, Du Cheng also learned about Tong Yehui's plan to arrange for Han Sheng to go abroad. He even lent a hand to Deng Hui, as if he was also eager to send Han Sheng away. Tong Yehui was aware of this but did not mention it. Between him and Du Cheng, Han Sheng had become a person that no one wanted to bring up again

Tong Yehui could sense the feeling of being watched by others, which made him feel even more as if he were dreaming. Who could look at him with such profound sorrow? Tong Yehui opened his eyes in the dream, and in the dark, hazy space, a face filled with regret was covered in tears. It turned out to be Huan Sheng. He thought to himself, and there was not the slightest bit of surprise.

There exists a dead end between them that cannot be traversed, and Tong Yehui does not understand how he has arrived at this point.

Tong Yehui stood before Han Sheng and said: "Han Sheng, I know you cannot forget. We have no path left to walk. Take care of yourself."

There was something flickering in Tong Yehui's eyes, and after a long gaze with Han Sheng, a glimmer slowly rose in her eyes. Her reaction was sluggish; her lips moved slightly. Tong Yehui maintained a burning gaze fixed on her. Just as Han Sheng was about to speak to the book, in that fleeting moment, before her words could take shape, he suddenly lifted his right leg and stood up effortlessly. After rising, he casually brushed off nonexistent dust from his knee, exuding a demeanor of ease and elegance. Just as Han Sheng was about to speak to the book, in that fleeting moment, before her words could take shape, he suddenly lifted his right leg and stood up effortlessly. After rising, he casually brushed off nonexistent dust from his knee, exuding a demeanor of ease and elegance.

Farewell, regretful life

Tong Yehui dragged all the boxes into the living room, then casually closed the door. He sat down on the sofa beside him, breathing heavily. None of them spoke, maintaining their usual silence.

Tong Yehui sat in the darkness for a while, ultimately collapsing back onto the pillow in despair. After a moment, he raised his arm to shield his eyes, and a glistening droplet of water flashed at the corner of his eye, disappearing into his hairline, while an unknown tear clung to his damp arm

The sound of a woman softly sobbing seemed to be very close, yet also very distant, like a presence that was both there and not there. If one did not concentrate, it would be inaudible. That person gently held his hand while fearfully weeping, the sound filled with longing. Each sob seemed to be a struggle to suppress herself, yet ultimately, she could not bear to let go.

In a shopping mall bustling with top global brands, Tong Yehui was selecting clothes for Han Sheng. Canada is a cold country, yet Han Sheng did not even have a decent piece of clothing. He wanted to buy her a few proper coats, but it was summer, and which store would sell winter clothing at this time

Suddenly, a thunderous cry of a baby echoed in her ears, jolting her awake. She looked around in a daze and realized she was already seated in the cabin, surrounded almost entirely by people of different ethnicities, unfamiliar faces, and an alien language. A wave of fear washed over her as a dark-skinned woman beside her was loudly soothing the child in her arms, who was still screaming and crying.

That night, Tong Yehui still stayed over. The room was still as hot as a steamer, and the small bed he slept on was marked with patches of moisture from his tossing and turning. In the end, he fell into a deep, muddled sleep.

Taking without asking is regarded as theft. Tong Yehui, while taking something, had his back turned to the bed where Hansheng was sleeping. The bed was completely still, seemingly devoid of even the sound of normal breathing. Tong Yehui felt a burning sensation on his back; he knew that Hansheng was awake. He had committed all manner of despicable and sordid acts against Hansheng throughout his life, and he could neither repay his debts nor hold his head high. The only thing he could do was to send her away from him.

Regrettably, in her dull mind, she vaguely thought: Why am I here, and where am I going? Just as she was in a state of confusion, it seemed as if she could faintly hear her mother's voice beside her, though she could not discern what was being said, only that it was a repetitive murmur that instilled a sense of restlessness.