Chapter 148: Parting for years or even decades, never to meet again.

Shi Runrun could not remember how she had managed to return to Cen Huan's apartment.

She only remembered that the sunlight on that day was fierce and dazzling.

It stung her eyes so much that she could barely keep them open.

At the same time, she remembered Secretary Qin as a great benefactor, engraving this deep gratitude into her heart.

If they were to cross paths again in the future, if she had the capability, and if she achieved success in her career later on, she would surely repay Secretary Qin properly.

A week later, Shi Runrun contacted the relevant school authorities and went through the procedures for taking a leave of absence from her studies.

With her naturally stellar academic record, she had consistently held the college's first-class scholarship and actively participated in various campus competitions. Coupled with her previous identity as Mrs. Xiao Xuezheng, the university president and the head of the academic affairs office were already well-acquainted with her.

When they asked why she wanted to suspend her studies, Shi Runrun merely offered a bitter smile and brushed them off with a casually fabricated excuse.

Truth be told, how she longed to continue her education.

Yet, she could no longer do so...

Every extra day she lingered in Beijing increased the risk by a fraction that he would discover the truth: her baby had not been miscarried.

She could not afford to take such a risk, nor could she gamble with it.

The moment she signed her name on the application form for suspension of studies at the university, Shi Runrun knew that this departure was truly real...

When she first suffered a car accident and left this place heartbroken, heading to City B under the suspicion that Xiao Xuezheng had been unfaithful, she had actually harbored a glimmer of hope in her heart.

At that time, she hoped he would come after her, find her, and bring her home.

And indeed, he had traveled thousands of miles to find her, using gentle words to persuade her to return with him.

Never did she expect that it would ultimately lead to such an ending...

It had inflicted immense pain upon both her and him.

The divorce agreement had already been signed, and with her grandfather's life hanging in the balance, Shi Runrun knew that there was no longer any possibility between her and him...

Having completed the suspension procedures, she left Capital University and returned to Cen Huan's apartment.

That evening, the two sisters bought a lavish assortment of groceries from the nearby market and cooked a hotpot at home.

To be honest, Shi Runrun had been craving hotpot for a long time.

It had been ages since she last tasted anything spicy.

Back at the Xiao family residence, from her pregnancy to the miscarriage and then to her subsequent pregnancy again, it had been nothing but nutritional meals and health tonics. She had obediently eaten and drunk as told, but what had it all bought her in the end?!

It only bought her the callous ending where the father of the babies in her belly ruthlessly rejected them.

So this time, she was throwing caution to the wind.

Having been through so much, she intended to live for herself.

Thus, on this night, she and Cen Huan shared a spicy hotpot, using tea as a substitute for alcohol. The two sisters ate and talked until very late.

Finally, around one o'clock in the morning, as they ate and drank, they inadvertently looked at each other and broke down in tears.

Cen Huan threw herself into Shi Runrun's arms, burying her face as she wept uncontrollably: "My dear Runrun... Are you really leaving? Can you not go? Wuwuwu, will I never, ever get to see you again?"

Shi Runrun reached out to stroke the younger girl's face, forcing a weak smile before letting out a sigh: "Huanhuan, there is no banquet in this world that never ends. Although we are parting ways now, communication and transportation are so advanced nowadays. Once I've settled down, you can come visit me, or I can come visit you..."

Yet only Shi Runrun knew that this parting might mean years, or even decades, of never seeing each other again.

Her only friend, the only person left in this world who treated her kindly, was someone she had to leave behind as well...

Because the babies were surviving in her belly unbeknownst to Xiao Xuezheng, Secretary Qin had urged her to leave as quickly as possible.

She had to obey, for the sake of the babies' safety.

"Huanhuan, I can tell that Yunan has feelings for you. Whatever misunderstandings existed in the past, let them all go. Stay with Yunan properly; Huanhuan, you will be happier than me."

As for love, though she herself no longer believed in it, she was not asking Cen Huan to give up the pursuit of it as well.

For the rest of her life, she would live alone with her babies, depending on each other for survival.

Huanhuan was different. She could stay in Beijing to finish her education and build an even better future with Yunan.

Moreover, Yunan was a man worth entrusting one's life to.

Thinking along these lines, Shi Runrun felt greatly reassured.

Yet... yet why was it that, holding Cen Huan and comforting her at this moment, her own eyes were growing damp and she was about to cry as well...

She really, truly was so utterly useless...

As for where to go, Shi Runrun had not yet decided.

Over the past few days, she had been pondering which city would be best for her.

She had already been to City B and had almost died there; Shi Runrun held rather unpleasant feelings toward that place.

Furthermore, she had checked her bank account. Secretary Qin had deposited two hundred thousand yuan into the card he gave her, and combined with the savings she had accumulated over the past half-year, she had around three hundred thousand yuan in total.

She needed to carefully plan how to spend this sum of money.

Future expenses would not involve just herself, but three new little lives as well.

Accommodation, infant formula, diapers... and so on, everything required money.

As for the properties and assets her grandfather had given her previously, along with the heirloom jewelry from her grandmother, she had sealed them all away without touching a single piece, returning every last one to him.

Since they were divorced, she had her principles: what did not belong to her, she would not take.

Besides, truth be told, in a place without him, going anywhere made no difference.

From now on, in any case, she would have to rely entirely on herself.

Ultimately, Shi Runrun decided to wait until she reached the airport and purchase a ticket on the spot to determine her destination.

Rack her brains as she might, it was useless; she might as well let fate decide.

In late July, dragging a suitcase packed with simple luggage and accompanied by Cen Huan's tearful farewells, she arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Cen Huan wept bitterly at every step of the send-off, drawing the attention of countless people at the airport.

Blinking back her tears, Shi Runrun managed to persuade her to turn back before finally heading to the ticket counter.

Returning to the airport once more, she felt none of the unfamiliarity and melancholy of her previous trip to City B. Looking at the scrolling flight schedule on the overhead screens, she finally made up her mind to head to a city in the south: City S.

There were two reasons for this.

The first reason was that City S was sufficiently far from Beijing. When she checked her phone, she discovered it was nearly four thousand kilometers away. With such a vast distance separating her from him, she would surely be far enough away never to be entangled again in this lifetime.

The second reason was that City S was relatively developed, offering more job opportunities. Although she currently had savings, the expenses after the babies were born would not be a small amount. Once she landed and rested briefly, she would have to dive straight into job hunting.

Finally, there was a trace of her own selfish desire.

She had just checked the geographical environment of City S and discovered that it bordered the sea. Having grown up without ever seeing the ocean, she wanted to visit the seaside, walk barefoot on the sandy beach, feel the ocean breeze, and thereby forget the wounds she had suffered over the past half-year, and forget him...

She paid for her boarding pass and then passed through security toward the boarding gate.

As she walked, she silently repeated a wish in her heart.

Hoping that distance, combined with time, could heal her shattered heart.

And bring a smile back to her face once more.