Love in the Midst of Mistaken Identities

“I’m here to give you this.” Xia Ruoxin raised the umbrella in her hand.

“Don’t you know you need to open the umbrella when sending it to someone?” Gao Yi tapped her forehead gently and took the umbrella from her. He opened it and put it over their heads. At last, their world stopped raining.

“Let’s go.” He wrapped his arm around Xia Ruoxin’s shoulders. Chu Lui’s eyes honed in on them. Gao Yi knew that he was glaring at him warningly. Perhaps he was wishing he could cut his hand off.

It was as expected of Chu Lui. Those cold eyes could really route the competitors in his field completely, but Gao Yi wasn’t one to be compared with them. He wasn’t scared of him. There was no way he would be scared of him.

Their eyes met, full of hostility. Their first meeting had determined their roles as rivals.

“Gao Yi, I…” Xia Ruoxin wanted to explain, but she stopped herself when she saw Gao Yi shake his head. “You don’t have to say anything. I understand. You don’t need to feel pressured. Have you forgotten that I said I wouldn’t force you and will give you time? I know time is what you need.”

He looked at his watch. It was already time. “We need to go pick her up; if not, she’s going to cry.” They both knew who he was talking about: Rainy, their beloved baby, their cute little angel, the small kid who missed home more especially when it started to rain.

They talked as if there was no one beside them, treating Chu Lui like air. The rain fell constantly on Chu Lui, drenching him and his heart.

“Okay.” Xia Ruoxin nodded. Gao Yi led her further and further away from the man she loved for her whole life. She turned her head back suddenly to look at Chu Lui, whose shoulders and back were wet. He was in a black suit like always, but now it was thoroughly soaked, making him a sorry sight. She told herself to steel her heart. Everything was fake. Even if it was true, it had nothing to do with her anymore.

Chu Lui had no need for Xia Ruoxin in the past, and so now, Xia Ruoxin’s world would not have a place for him. She blinked. She didn’t know why, but she felt like the umbrella was faulty. Why did the rain keep leaking in?

As she raised the back of her hand, drops of water fell again and again. She was lost in thought and didn’t realize that Gao Yi’s expression had become gloomier.

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Chu Lui kneeled down and picked the pearls off the ground one by one. He understood that this feeling was what he had done to Xia Ruoxin in the past so this was all what he deserved to suffer.

He knew that she had suffered so much more than what he was going through now.

He collected all the pearls and hugged the box to his body, carefully keeping it out of the rain. Water trickled from his chin to his collar. His clothes were long soaked.

He turned back to look in the direction where the two disappeared. For the first time in his life, he felt lonely. She already had another man by her side, and the man gave her so much and treated her so well—unlike Chu Lui.

He only gave her cruelty, pain, and revenge. Even his gentleness once had underlying motives.

That man treated her so well. If he was in her shoes, he wouldn’t choose himself, too. “Haha…” He burst out laughing suddenly, slightly lifelessly and weakly, his shoulders shaking.

It serves him right. He was now lying in the bed he made. He finally knew the taste of remorse. It was really bitter.

However, was he willing to leave it like that?

He kept the box carefully back into his chest pocket. It belonged to her, and so he still wanted to return it to her. Even if she didn’t want it, he still wished for it to be closer to her, unlike him who was no longer worthy of approaching her.

His body swayed slightly, but he still continued walking forwards stubbornly with heavy steps. The puddles of rainwater seeped into his leather shoes, making them lose their luster. His feet were soaked in water, and it was ice-cold.

He returned to his car and placed his hands on the steering wheel. The headlights lit up to reveal the empty road in front of him. A couple of cars passed by occasionally, but pedestrians were nowhere in sight. It was just a few minutes’ journey, but no one would take such a long time through it like him.

Drive and head back home. This had already become part of his survival instinct. Without a goal or a purpose, it was all Chu Lui had. He was human, too, and would make mistakes, too; but his mistake was just too severe.

The rain was still falling when he got out of the car. He raised his head and let the raindrops hit his face. At last, he opened his eyes, which only held a deep black chasm.

That was Chu Lui’s life now.

He opened the door and walked in. Upon seeing him, Li Manni tossed the pillow in her hands away in a hurry. “Lui, you’re back.” She rushed forwards and was bewildered when she saw his drenched clothes.

“Lui, what’s wrong? You didn’t bring an umbrella? Why are you so drenched?” Her fingers brushed against his hand, and she was aware of how cold his hand was. It was almost as cold as the clothes he was wearing, to the point where Li Manni thought he was going to freeze.

“It’s fine,” Chu Lui said indifferently. “I’m going to rest. Don’t disturb me.” He halted and then walked towards the study room. He wasn’t able to treat Li Manni like before. The nicer he treated her, the guiltier he felt towards that woman. He was supposed to suffer all these by himself, but he dished it out to the wrong person. Now, there was nothing he could do.

He closed the door and locked himself in the study room.

Li Manni stood in the living room, with her hand still in the air like a fool. She blinked, and tears rolled down instantly. Her face was deathly pale. Even her lips had lost color.

She put a hand over her mouth suddenly and dashed to the toilet. After a long time, she stood up weakly, her hand on her stomach. Could she be pregnant? She clenched her hands tightly without any of the happiness and joy she had wanted. If she really was pregnant, then the child must be Chu Lui’s. The child they have been waiting for four years was finally here. Now, she wouldn’t have to lose everything.