Chapter 80 : Original Version 

The faint morning light filtered through the ancient city like rays of light from the fingers of God.

The white doves and the pious carols of the believers in Piazza della Signoria decorate the beautiful morning in Florence. The ancient bell tower and red roofs linger quietly in the sunshine.

The car's wheels slowly stop by the riverside. Rong Jia who was sitting in the car said to Yin Jun, "I don't know what Miss Qu is thinking. She stayed here overnight last night. At first, she said she would leave when Christmas is over, but now Christmas is already over."

Without any expressions, Yin Jun picked up her bag and opened the car door, "Wait for me here."

The water's surface reflects the ancient monuments, shimmering with a golden glow in the sunlight. The quiet river seems to have collected thousands of years of history. When the big clock chimes, you can faintly hear the echoes of the Renaissance era.

Yin Jun arrives at the riverside, next to Qu Xizhi. She takes out her phone from her bag and places it beside her, "She's not coming. It's obvious."

Qu Xizhi looks across the river at the endless red and white buildings, her gloomy expression revealing no hope.

"The engagement is on New Year's Day. Do you have any objections?"

Qu Xizhi said nothing.

"The lie detector's testing can produce errors in two categories: those who have received special training and those with poor circulation. The matter with Tang Yu is a misunderstanding of her. Even though it doesn't matter now, when you misunderstand or hurt someone, you should apologize, regardless of whether the other person is willing to forgive. Do you understand?"

Qu Xizhi still didn't say anything.

Dozens of hours ago.

The broad street was buried by snow all night. The city's early morning was foggy. Gu Xizhi took the elevator down and had just walked out of the corridor but stopped her steps due to the familiar scent of perfume.

There was no sound behind her, but there was clearly a breath of life. Gu Xizhi stood where she was, neither moving forward nor looking back.

"In recent years, I have always been unable to control my emotions." Someone finally spoke, the voice still hoarse.

"I'm ashamed of what I've done, but I still owe you an apology because of my serious sins."

A long time later, Gu Xizhi turned around, and the corridor was already completely empty.

In the early morning, the city was bustling as usual. The television in the room played the latest news. Opening the window, you could see the city bathed in sunlight, with all the hurried pedestrians appearing as tiny as ants from this vantage point.

The phone had been ringing incessantly, and Gu Xizhi, who had just finished her makeup, hurriedly answered the call. As she put on her coat, she said, "Is the flight ticket booked?"

"Yes, I'm on my way."

After heading downstairs, a black sedan drove straight toward her. She had expected her assistant to pick her up, but to her surprise, when the car window rolled down, Tang Yu was in the driver's seat.

"Why is it you? Where's Cindy?" Gu Xizhi opened the car door and sat in the back seat.

"It turns out everyone knows except you." Tang Yu started the engine. "She just found out she's pregnant and took two days off due to severe morning sickness."

"But..." Gu Xizhi, who had a persistent feeling that something was amiss, was about to ask when she glanced at a private message on Weibo. She scrolled through the hot search topics list, and the news of Qu Xizhi's engagement today was in the first place. The picture of Shen Ya in the post made Gu Xizhi look at it for a long time, and then she hastily exited Weibo.

Glancing at Gu Xizhi through the rearview mirror, Tang Yu asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Gu Xizhi put away her phone and thought for a moment before asking, "Shen Ya really likes Qu Xizhi, right?"

"They're getting engaged today," Tang Yu smiled, "that's what they say."

Gu Xizhi lowered her head and stopped talking.

After a quiet moment, Tang Yu spoke up, "The flight to France is this afternoon, right?"

Gu Xizhi nodded but said nothing.

"This is a great opportunity. Lorenzo International has significant influence abroad. Maybe it's a chance to step out onto the international stage. Take advantage of it."

This time Gu Xizhi didn't even nod her head, not knowing what to think.

The car sped along the road, and as they waited at a traffic light, Gu Xizhi seemed to think of something. She looked up at Tang Yu and asked, "Do you know where their engagement ceremony will be held?"

Tang Yu didn't answer immediately. After a while, he said, "Xiao Jing, can't you let go?"

Gu Xizhi fell silent, lowering her head and looking at her new necklace.

Tang Yu  slowed down the car and said slowly, "There's something I haven't told you."

Gu Xizhi looked up at him.

Tang Yu continued, "Originally, they were planning to get engaged in April, but their wedding date was postponed."

Gu Xizhi thought about it, but still didn't understand what he meant, "Because?"

Tang Yu said, "Originally, it was supposed to be a Fengzi* wedding."

*shotgun/marry while pregnant.

Gu Xizhi blinked and stared at him, looking somewhat dazed.

Tang Yu continued, "So, let them be happy."

The joints between her fingers ached as they intertwined. Gu Xizhi collected her thoughts, touched some neglected memories, and then slowly looked up at Tang Yu.

Tang Yu only said, "Focus on your career."

The city was bathed in the snowy sunlight, reflecting intense light. Gu Xizhi shielded her eyes, feeling them stinging, and gently wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

Tang Yu quietly slowed the car to a stop and didn't say another word.

The city's largest concert hall covered nearly 20,000 square meters. Situated near the mountains and water, the building had a modern feel with a serene ambiance. The extensive woods behind the concert hall were bathed in the sun all day, making the trees stand out even more.

This was where Qu Xizhi and Shen Ya had first met, and it was also the place of their engagement today.

The warm sunshine shines directly down, and the snow on the treetops gradually melts as the temperature rises.

The Qu family was busy with preparations for Qu Xizhi's engagement. The makeup artist is a foreign girl and when she saw Qu Xizhi appearing in front of her in a dress, she was amazed.

"Miss Qu, you look stunning in the white dress. You look like the fairytale princess you mentioned. You'll be breathtaking in a wedding gown in the future."

Qu Xizhi only had a forced smile on her face as she faced the makeup mirror. However, as soon as the makeup artist turned away, the smile on her face, which had been overly polite, faded like snow in the sunshine, completely disappearing.

As Qu Yu passed by the makeup room, she noticed Qu Xizhi facing the mirror with an expressionless look and knocked on her door.

"Hey, you should put on a smile for your engagement, little sister."

Qu Xizhi looked at her from the mirror with a numb expression, lowering her eyes.

Two hours later at the airport.

The wait for the plane felt particularly boring. Despite having many colleagues around, Gu Xizhi sat in the departure lounge, simply flipping through her phone.

Weibo is preparing to livestream Qu Xizhi and Shen Ya's engagement. Because the media found out that the two were getting married abroad, this engagement ceremony became the focus of the media.

With few invited celebrity friends, Gu Xizhi checked several Weibo accounts but couldn't find much information. However, the grand sail-shaped music hall appeared repeatedly on Weibo, making everyone aware that it was the place where love began.

At 12:20, the engagement ceremony should have started a while ago, but the flight was delayed and had to wait for another forty minutes.

She closed her phone and prepared to go to the restroom. However, when she looked up, she saw Zhong Linshan in front of her, standing nearly 1.90 meters tall, wearing a red and white checkered trench coat, red high heels, and a cap. She took off her sunglasses, revealing her flawless face with red lips and fair skin, enhancing her delicate features.

"Can I talk to you?" Zhong Linshan tilted her head as she looked at Gu Xizhi.

Gu Xizhi looked at her for a while and nodded gently.

Outside the south gate of the airport, there was a vast green area with few people. Gu Xizhi followed Zhong Linshan as they walked. The sunlight cast their long shadows. Zhong Linshan kept talking, and Gu Xizhi kept listening.

"Because of me and my sister's affairs, Qu Xizhi has been helping out, but to be honest, we've never been together. Even though I'm often with her, I've never really understood what she's thinking. Many people have pursued her, but she isn't interested and seems to be numb about love.

Gu Xizhi listened quietly as Zhong Linshan continued, "Maybe she hadn't met someone she truly liked back then."

"She really likes you," Zhong Linshan stopped walking, turned around, and looked at her. "Even though you're quite beautiful, I can't understand why she likes you so much. Honestly, I don't think you're brave enough."

Gu Xizhi accepted these words calmly and sighed slightly. "It's all in the past. She's in love with Shen Ya now and getting married."

"That's also why I came here today," Zhong Linshan checked the time. "I have something very important to attend to shortly, so I can't participate in their engagement ceremony. But I haven't contacted her for several months, her phone isn't working, and I still can't figure out why she's getting married." She looked at Gu Xizhi seriously. "If she's really getting married, I feel sorry for both of you. I want to know if this marriage is her own choice."

Gu Xizhi thought for a long time and finally said, "It should be."

"That's what you think," Zhong Linshan shrugged, "The engagement ceremony started a long time ago. We can only regret."

Gu Xizhi lowered her eyes, her expression became erratic.

After seeing off Zhong Linshan, there were still twenty minutes left before her boarding time. The airport waiting area was bustling with people. Gu Xizhi just stood by the greenery outside the south gate, quietly watching the passersby. Occasionally, people would glance at her multiple times due to her unusual behavior.

It was already 12:40, and Qu Xizhi's engagement ceremony should have been like fireworks, full of splendor. However, Gu Xizhi was about to embark on the next step of her career, and it seemed as if the two of them had never met on the same path.

The sunlight fell on her, but there was no warmth. Her heart felt like a dull, lifeless branch in the gray winter. Gu Xizhi didn't appear sad at all; she seemed somewhat like a wooden figure with no emotions, even tears had become a luxury. After some time, a shadow blocked the sunlight in front of her. Gu Xizhi raised her head and saw Tang Yu holding her wrist and handing a car key to her.

"I originally wanted to listen to Miss Lin one more time," Tang Yu took back his hand and stepped back to a suitable distance, facing Gu Xizhi. "But suddenly I felt that all I could gain from this wouldn't make up for what I've lost."

Gu Xizhi lowered her head to look at the key and then looked up at him, not entirely understanding. "Miss Lin? What do you mean?"

Tang Yu didn't speak, just looked at her quietly, until Gu Xizhi's eyes suddenly filled with tears, he said, "I approached you back then, not because I liked you, but because of Miss Lin Mingling.

Gu Xizhi looked at him motionlessly, as if she had been molded into a statue by the sunlight. Only the trembling around the corners of her eyes could prove that she was still alive.

"That charity event was just the first step in getting close to you. Back then, I wasn't as well-off as you might think. The grace you saw was all supported by Miss Lin. But what she wanted to achieve, you probably understood but didn't quite understand."

Seeing her eyes soaked with tears, Tang Yu continued, "I have no better reason to explain my behavior to you, and I never expected that you would forgive me one day once you know the truth. When I left Huayu International, I faced a better situation. It happened by chance."

He looked at himself through her eyes. "The first time I appeared on 'The Truth' I used some techniques. At that time, you were still with Qu Xizhi, and you seemed genuinely happy. I'm sorry, I still fed back what I've learned about you to Miss Lin, which made her so upset and unhappy later." He smiled at this point, "Don't pay too much attention to my apologies, it's just a joke."

Tears had already welled up in her eyes, and Gu Xizhi remained silent, looking at him, her expression only filled with sadness.

Tang Yu took a step back to avoid the dazzling light in her tears, "I won't hand you a handkerchief this time. We don't need such tender things between us. I only hope you forget the distorted image of Qu Xizhi that appeared in my mouth, as it's not the real image."

He smiled at her teary eyes. "I feel ashamed for making you cry because of me. Now, there's only one thing I want to tell you. Qu Xizhi suffered from depression in the past. In April and May of this year, her doctor treated her frequently, and vomiting was one of the symptoms. It had nothing to do with pregnancy, so there's no such thing as a Fengzi wedding." He glanced at his wristwatch. "Shen Ya truly loves Qu Xizhi. The key is already in your hand. I hope you make good use of your time." He raised his head, bowed, and said, "I wish you happiness."

The tall figure's back, blurred by the sunlight, had its edges softened. The tall man in a black suit bowed, turned, and then walked farther away in the brightness, even his footsteps growing fainter.

Tears seemed frozen by the cold wind, and a trembling female voice mixed with the sound of the wind, "I never want to see you again."

The black figure paused in the play of light and shadow for just a moment, or even what one might call a moment was merely an illusion.

Completely disappearing on the other side of the world.