Falling into the rain

She had countless reasons to leave, but she couldn't find a single one to stay.

Yu Tingyu released her grip on the suitcase, swept her hair back over her shoulder, and smiled faintly at Wen Huaixu: "Second Brother, you should know that I have someone I like very, very much."

The moment she spoke, she felt an extraordinary sense of relief, as if she had been freed from shackles that had bound her for a long time, and even her breathing felt light.

Wen Huaixu was surprised that Yu Tingyu would be so open about this matter with him, but he also didn't understand why she suddenly brought it up.

He narrowed his eyes, forcing himself to suppress the complex emotions surging within him, and asked in a deep voice, "What does liking him have to do with you leaving?"

The two are clearly unrelated.

Yu Tingyu turned her head away, a few strands of hair obscuring her almost tragically beautiful face. Her voice was so soft it seemed to blend into the air: "I love him, so I can't stay."

Wen Huaixu frowned, not understanding what kind of twisted logic this was.

"He told you to go find him?"

"Are you two together?"

"Is it because of him that you said you wouldn't need to take care of me anymore?"

"You've gotten too wild? You've grown too big for your britches? You want to leave me now that you like someone else?"

Wen Huaixu's questions became increasingly sharp, and his voice grew deeper and deeper until finally, he could no longer bear it and grabbed Yu Tingyu's shoulder.

He wanted to remain calm, but he was even angrier than when he mistakenly thought Yu Tingyu was dating Zhao Xiao last time.

The unknown is always the most terrifying.

Wen Huaixu's face tightened, his tone as serious as could be: "Tell me, who is he?"

Yu Tingyu could feel the warmth of his palm, which gripped her shoulder so tightly it hurt, but she simply raised her eyes and looked at the furious Wen Huaixu, her eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

Of his many questions, she answered only one.

"We can't be together." Yu Tingyu stared into his deep eyes, shook her head, and said, "Never."

Hearing Huai Xu's throat tighten, he felt a lump in his throat.

He should have been happy to hear this, but there was an inexplicable sadness and despair in Yu Tingyu's eyes.

These emotions shouldn't be showing on her face.

He closed his eyes, suppressing all the anger in his heart, and his fingers, which had been resting on Yu Tingyu's shoulder, suddenly relaxed, almost stroking her.

He didn't want to bring this up again, so he changed the subject, speaking in a calm tone, as if he had bowed his head first: "I've contacted the person in charge of the arts festival, and you can have half an hour to talk to Louis tomorrow."

Louis was the piano master whom Yu Tingyu had long admired.

But that didn't attract her anymore. Yu Tingyu smiled and said, "No, we'll have a chance to meet again in the future."

Hearing this, Wen Huaixu subconsciously frowned, but the next second he heard Yu Tingyu say, "Second Brother, I went back because I wanted to rehearse properly. After all, it's the last performance of the tour soon, and I can't let you down. You'll probably be there too, right?"

Her attitude seemed to have softened considerably, returning to its original state. Wen Huaixu subconsciously replied, "When have I ever been absent?"

"That's good." Yu Tingyu picked up her suitcase again. "The driver has been waiting downstairs for a long time. I really should go."

Wen Huaixu stood in front of her, stopping her. "It's dangerous on a rainy night. Let's go tomorrow."

Yu Tingyu glanced out the window. "It stopped soon. Listen, there's no more thunder."

Wen Huaixu followed her gaze.

really.

The torrential rain had somehow turned into a drizzle, and the wind had subsided considerably.

Wen Huaixu clenched his fist, his fingertips turning white.

He seemed to have no other reason to keep Yu Tingyu, so he could only watch her walk away.

Wen Huaixu did not see her downstairs. He stood by the French windows and watched her walk to the car with an umbrella, say a few words to the driver, and get in. A few seconds later, the car gradually drove away, its taillights merging into a small dot before finally disappearing from his sight.

really gone.

Wen Huaixu rested his long, slender fingers on the armrest of the sofa, his eyelashes lowered as he looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. His dark, narrow eyes revealed no emotion, but it was clear that he was in a bad mood.

There are many reasons, but if we were to summarize a common factor, it would be Yu Tingyu.

Even though she was smiling, Wen Huaixu knew she was unhappy.

If she's unhappy, then he won't have an easy time either.

Yu Tingyu is much harder to coax now that she's grown up than she was when she was a child.

He stood in Yu Tingyu's room for an unknown amount of time, long enough for the rain to completely stop.

"Have you found out yet?"

Wen Huaixu's voice was deep and hoarse as he held a half-burnt cigarette between his fingers and asked into the phone.

It took Wang Hang two seconds to realize what Wen Huaixu was asking.

"...Not yet, but I've compiled information on a few suspicious individuals. Shall I send it to you now?"

"Hurry up." Wen Huaixu paused, then suddenly remembered what Yu Tingyu had just said, and instructed the person on the other end of the phone, "List the married ones too."

"..."

Wang Hang even wondered if there was something wrong with his comprehension.

"And there are those who have already passed away," Wen Huaixu added.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to interpret Yu Tingyu's words that they could never be together.

Unless they are already married or deceased.

Otherwise, what other situation could cause her such distress?

Wang Hang was taken aback for a moment, but his excellent professionalism prevented him from pressing further. He simply replied, "Understood, I'll check right away."

After hanging up the phone, Wen Huaixu immediately opened the file that Wang Hang had sent him.

The first suspect: Yu Tingyu's vocal teacher, a professor with a doctoral degree, aged 34.

Wen Huaixu leaned back in his sofa chair, carefully examining the man's ID photo.

The orange-yellow light from the wall lamp fell on his face, revealing a faint shadow between his brows.

Although he was much older than Yu Tingyu, he was not entirely without suspicion.

The second suspect is a 21-year-old bartender at a charity gala who has only met Yu Tingyu once at the banquet.

Wen Huaixu paused, his gaze falling on the slightly immature photograph.

They were close in age and had very little interaction, so he should have been the least suspicious. But he just remembered that after that dinner party, Yu Tingyu said that the drinks he mixed were very good.

His gaze turned colder as he flipped to the next page.

A 31-year-old jewelry designer for a certain brand, who once designed jewelry for Yu Tingyu's tour.

Wen Huaixu's gaze darkened.

With close cooperation and outstanding appearance, they certainly seem to be the most suspicious.

The information Wang Hang sent was very detailed, and there was also a photo of the backstage of the performance attached to the back. The designer was standing behind Yu Tingyu, bending down to fasten the necklace for her, at a distance of no more than half a meter.

Wen Huaixu's fingertip stopped on the photograph, his gaze growing increasingly profound.

They are indeed suspects, but neither of them meets the condition that Yu Tingyu said is "it's impossible for them to be together".

There must still be some who slipped through the net.