Chapter 434: An Offer of Refuge
"Wen Nuan?" A familiar and surprised voice called out right next to her. Wen Nuan wiped away her tears and looked up to see Du Di standing in front of her. He was wearing a dark gray suit and looked handsome and dashing. He was the most perfect man she had ever seen in a suit, a gentlemanly figure who looked like he had stepped out of a painting. The bright lights across the river were the backdrop, making him look even more beautiful. Du Di...
Why was he here?
Hadn’t he gone back to America?
Du Di silently handed Wen Nuan a tissue, his eyes filled with love and pity. He had been watching her from a distance as she sat there crying. His heart ached, and all he wanted was to hold her and make the pain and sadness go away.
Wen Nuan took the tissue. He had seen her at her most vulnerable again.
He was always like this, appearing when she was at her saddest and most helpless.
"Why are you crying?" He bent down, half-squatting in front of her. He took the tissue from her hand and wiped her tears. Wen Nuan felt a pang of sadness. Du Di shouldn’t be so gentle and loving with her. It wasn’t right.
She couldn’t give him what he wanted, so she didn’t want to give him hope.
"I’m fine," Wen Nuan said calmly. She took the tissue back and wiped her own tears.
Du Di’s eyes were filled with her reflection. Wen Nuan didn’t dare to look at the love in his eyes. She had already rejected him last time and broke his heart. He had also gone back to America.
"Did you come back for business?" Wen Nuan asked with a forced smile, hiding the pain of the divorce deep in her heart.
Du Di sat down next to her. He was going to say yes, but what came out was, "No."
Du Di paused, looking at the bright lights across the river. "I never liked A City. I rarely came back. I always felt like it didn’t have much character, and I never considered it my hometown. But lately, I’ve been coming back often, whenever I have free time. I was born and grew up in other cities. It’s only after almost thirty years that I’ve started to love my hometown."
Because his hometown had the girl he loved.
Wen Nuan said, "Everyone falls in love with their hometown. Some love it from birth, and some only love it when they’re old. It’s just a matter of time."
Du Di didn’t explain. He just looked at her tenderly. This was the place Wen Nuan had taken him for a walk. He knew she liked it here. He had also grown to love the places she liked.
He had a glimmer of hope that he would run into her here. And he actually did.
She was thinner than the last time he saw her.
And she looked much more haggard.
"Du Di, is what you said last time still valid?" Wen Nuan asked. Her voice was broken by the evening wind from the river. Only a few words were audible to him, but they sounded sad and pitiful, and his heart ached.
"Did I say I would take you away?"
"Yes."
Du Di smiled. "Yes, it is. It’ll always be valid."
No matter when she asked, he would take her away.
Wen Nuan looked at him. Du Di couldn’t help but reach out and gently touch her face. He said softly, "You can use me as a temporary support, use me to escape, or find a temporary haven. Whatever you want. As long as you want it, I’ll give it to you."
As long as he had the ability, he was willing to give her everything she wanted.
Wen Nuan was a little moved. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome. This is what I owe you," Du Di said honestly. The Du family owed the Long family.
Wen Nuan shook her head. "You don’t owe me anything. You really don’t."
Du Di didn’t argue with Wen Nuan. If she said he didn’t owe her, then he didn’t. He just knew the truth in his heart.
"I’ve already prepared the divorce agreement and signed it. As soon as Feimo signs it, the divorce agreement will be effective," Wen Nuan said. Her eyes welled up again. Du Di’s heart ached for her. Wen Nuan’s voice was so hoarse and bitter that she could barely speak. "I don’t want to get a divorce. I especially don’t want to get a divorce right now. Feimo is sick. He’s very sick. Even though my mother said he’ll be fine and that there are good doctors who will operate on him and that he’ll live a long life. I’ve been wondering if he’s this sick because of me. He just had a bad stomach, and if he had taken good care of himself, he would have been fine. But he got stomach cancer. If the curse really came true, and Feimo won’t live past thirty, will he not have a chance this time when he has surgery? If I stay by his side, this surgery might be the last time I see him. I’m so scared. I’m afraid that even the best doctor can’t fight a curse. I’m afraid that human power can’t fight against fate."
"So you want to get a divorce before he has surgery?" Du Di asked softly.
"Yes," Wen Nuan said firmly. "I had thought about getting a divorce. I thought about it before I went to Athens. But after I came back, I changed my mind. I wanted to take things one step at a time and was planning on going home, but I didn’t expect something to happen to him. Tell me, did he get sick because I changed my mind about the divorce?"
"Wen Nuan, don’t think that way. This is not something you can control," Du Di said, his heart aching. He couldn’t stand to see her blame herself so much. Wen Nuan gave a bitter smile. "I know it’s not something I can control, but I can’t help but think about it."
Du Di sighed helplessly. "Since you want to get a divorce, don’t think about it too much. Thinking about it won’t help."
Wen Nuan nodded. She understood the reasoning.
"Do you want to go to America?"
"Yes. I can work there, or study, or do anything." Wen Nuan’s life and career plans had long been disrupted by Ye Feimo. When she made her career plan, she had always included him in it. She had never considered what she would do without Ye Feimo.
"If you want to continue your work, I’ll help you arrange it in America. You don’t have to worry about that," Du Di promised. He didn’t have a lot of connections in that field, but the ones he did have were very influential.
There would be no problem for Wen Nuan if she wanted to work in Hollywood.
"I’m so lost right now and don’t have any plans. I just hope Feimo agrees to the divorce as soon as possible so I can leave here soon. It’ll be easier for everyone," Wen Nuan said faintly.
Du Di looked at her and said softly, "Wen Nuan, it’s going to be very difficult for you. Being hated by the person you love is a very difficult way to live."
Wen Nuan gave a calm smile. "It’s better to be hated. At least Feimo can still hate me. If he dies, I won’t even have a chance to see him again, let alone be hated."