chapter 77

From what Ai Changhuan saw, Lu Zhanke’s refusal was because he disliked her. Ai Changhuan was sad and in despair. “Lu Zhanke, you dislike me, right? You… you also think I’m dirty, right? You don’t want me, right?”

Finishing her sentence, she felt as if there were a big hole in her chest, drilled by the wind, empty and cold.

Lu Zhanke frowned. “What are you talking about? How can I dislike you? No matter what you become, you are still the pure and beautiful Ai Changhuan that is in my heart.”

“Don’t say such words to comfort me. I know it all… Your actions have shown everything…” Ai Changhuan took another step back, leaning against the wall with all her strength. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you in my life, so… please go…”

Looking at her pale face, Lu Zhanke’s heart was filled with anger. “Ai Changhuan, can you let me finish talking? Firstly, I don’t know what you’re talking about and why you are so angry. Secondly, even though it was a little late when I found you, nothing happened that day. When the asshole was pulling your clothes, I kicked him with my foot. Finally, why are you trying to drive me away? Do you really hate me so much that you want to escape from me again and again?”

Ai Changhuan was confused, and her mind was occupied by various negative messages. She didn’t understand what Lu had said. Until he finished speaking, she responded slightly, staring at him in a daze, asking, “You… What did you just say? You said nothing happened that day, I wasn’t…”

Her heart was lifted, and she could not believe what Lu Zhanke said.

Distressed, Lu raised his hand, rubbed her chin, and said, “No, you were not bullied by the bad guy. I beat him, so no one bullied you. However, you still suffered a lot of injuries, Changhuan. You are too thin.”

Ai Changhuan didn’t know how to describe her feelings at the moment, but flying from hell to heaven was nothing more than that. She tightened her blouse and said in a trembling voice, “You mean…I didn’t…I’m still clean. You saved me…”

“Yeah, so stop thinking about it. I assure you that you haven’t been touched by anyone.”

Of course, he would not treat the man who bullied Ai nicely. He made sure that he would stay in jail forever.

“Really? You saved me? But…how would you know…” She was still in disbelief. Lu should have been with Pei Zan at that time. How did he know where she went?

Lu’s eyes gleamed for a moment, and he smiled bitterly. “Did you think I really didn’t know? When you said you wanted to take a group photo, I knew that you wanted to leave. I wrote ‘don’t leave’ on the lantern, but it seems that the wish was not realized. You said you wanted to buy a shawl, for such a reason, how could I believe that? I just…had to let you go because I didn’t want to see you unhappy. I gave you that bracelet, just to tell you that I already knew you were leaving. While I was worried about your safety, I couldn’t send you off, so I installed a micro tracking device on that bracelet. If you got to city A, I would be relieved. But you hadn’t moved after you arrived at the train station, and I was worried about your safety, so I caught up with you immediately. Fortunately, I came in time, and nothing irreversible happened.”

Lu Zhanke was mostly telling the truth, but he didn’t mention one thing. After Ai Changhuan left, he went after her, but there was no train to the railway station.

So he used almost all possible means of transportation, got help from many people, and finally arrived at the railway station. On the way, he saw that Ai Changhuan’s position had not moved the entire time. He thought that Ai Changhuan had found the tracking device and threw the bracelet at the railway station.

Although Lu felt very sad, he still rushed to her regardless of everything. Fortunately, his decision was right. Otherwise, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

“Do you know that when I saw the bad guy bullying you, I really wished I could shoot him.” Lu embraced Ai Changhuan tightly. “But don’t worry. I will never let anyone bully you.”

“Lu Zhanke…” Ai Changhuan had to admit that her heart was very soft at the moment. If Lu didn’t insist on going after her, her life would be ruined.

Only a man who truly loves you would care about your comfort like this.

As for Qin Zhan, she no longer wanted to think about him again. Even if Lu hadn’t come this time, she and Qin Zhan were over anyways.

Qin Zhan gave her the sweetness and throbbing of her first love, but Lu Zhanke always gave her warmth and a sense of security.

She was deeply touched by Lu Zhanke. Although this kind of touch was not equal to emotion, she was very close to love. As long as she reached out, she could grasp this happiness.

At this moment, Ai Changhuan suddenly wanted to try to fall in love with Lu.

But……

Suddenly she remembered something and pushed Lu away again, looking at him coldly. “You lied to me!”

Lu Zhanke stopped breathing. “How did I lie to you?”

“You said I didn’t… It was a lie to me… You never treated me like this before…” Ai’s tears fell down, and she looked sadder than before.

Lu was heartbroken. “What did I do to you? Don’t cry, okay? I swear. I really didn’t lie.”

“You weren’t like that before…you never pushed me away before. But this time, you pushed me away. It’s clear that you have rejected me…” Ai Changhuan gave a dismal smile. “I understand. You don’t have to cheat anymore…you…I…”

In the end, her voice was choked by her sobs.

Lu Zhanke didn’t expect that. He was trying to restrain himself because he was worried about her injuries, and it was instead misunderstood as abandonment.

Lu shook his head ridiculously and embraced Ai, holding her waist in one hand and pinching her chin in the other, forcing her to look at him. “Originally, I rejected you because I was worried about your injury. But in order to reassure you, I’ve decided to do the last thing. If it hurts, don’t blame me.”

“What?” Ai Changhuan looked up at Lu Zhanke with two teardrops hanging on her long eyelashes.

Lu didn’t speak, gave her a deep look, lowered his head, and kissed her eyes gently. Her eyes were very hot because she had just cried, but her tears were very cold.

Later, Ai Changhuan was tired. She lay in Lu’s arms, leaning on his chest, feeling an indescribable sense of security.

Lu hugged her shoulder and said, “In fact, I hated you a little bit when I found you.”

Ai Changhuan’s body was stiff, and deep guilt flashed in her heart.

Lu Zhanke continued to say, “I hated you not because you left me, but because you couldn’t protect yourself. Last time, you were injured for the wallet, and this time it had happened again. I let you go, but I didn’t let you get hurt. I thought you could be happier with that man. But now, it seems that I was wrong. Changhuan, even if it’s not for me. For your sake, don’t get hurt again, okay?”

Ashamed, Ai Changhuan buried her face in his chest and whispered, “No, I won’t leave you anymore because you are my safe haven. So, Lu Zhanke, I’ll leave it to you to keep me safe in the future. You have to be responsible for me, understand?”

“You…you mean…” Lu couldn’t believe it because the happiness had come so suddenly.

Ai raised her head, gently gave a kiss on his chin, and looked at his eyes. She said very seriously, “Lu Zhanke, let’s forget the past and try again, okay? This time there is no engagement, nor Qin Zhan. We are an ordinary pair of man and woman who meet and be together. But this time, I will try to love you and learn how to cherish you, okay?”

Lu forced her into his arms, his voice trembling slightly. “Okay, let’s start again.”

What he wanted was not her love, but an opportunity to let her understand that whether she loved him or not, he loved her.

Ai Changhuan remembered another thing. She asked Lu, “Don’t you have to go back to the army?”

Although she did not know which hospital she was in, she should be quite far from the military area.

Lu Zhanke was silent for a while before saying, “I have asked for leave.”

“Ask for leave?” Ai Changhuan knew that it should be very difficult for someone like Lu Zhanke to ask for a leave. After all, he was busy with a lot of things.

Lu Zhanke continued, “You had been in a coma for almost a week, and I had to take care of you, so I used our marriage leave. Tomorrow is the last day. Fortunately, you woke up, and the annual leave could be saved.”

“A week?” Ai couldn’t believe it. She felt as if she had just slept. How did she wake up one week later?

“Then my grandfather, does he know?” She was most worried about this. If her grandpa knew about this, there would be big trouble.

“The doctor said that it wasn’t a big deal. It was just a temporary head coma, and you would wake up soon. I did not disturb your grandfather. Do I need to notify Grandpa?”

“No,” Ai Changhuan hurriedly stopped him. “When I was at home, even if I just cut my finger, Grandpa would be distressed for a long time, and then he wouldn’t allow me to do anything. If he came to see me like this, I’m afraid he would make a scene here, so just hide this from him. It’s no big deal.”

Besides, Lu Zhanke had gotten shot, and he didn’t tell Grandpa. She had only suffered a slight injury. And Grandpa was getting old, so he shouldn’t be given a fright.

Lu hugged her, full of guilt. “I’m sorry, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be hurt like this.”

Ai Changhuan said, “Actually, I am the one who should say sorry. If it were not for my capricious behavior, you wouldn’t have to be afraid. It was my fault. I won’t be so reckless again in the future.”