Chapter 219: A Lifetime of Longing
Half a month later.
Xia Mingxuan returned!
Xia Chenge and Ling Hanmu’s marriage contract was dissolved!
Two explosive pieces of news instantly swept across the media of Country A.
One was a person declared dead for over a decade, and the other was a golden couple envied by everyone, a national pairing.
Everything everyone thought was impossible happened at the same time.
The explanation for Xia Mingxuan’s death was that he had amnesia after the accident, which was why he hadn’t returned for so many years.
As for the dissolution of Xia Chenge and Ling Hanmu’s marriage contract, there was no explanation other than the official announcement.
Thus, rumors abounded, with countless versions circulating.
After the movie Apocalypse was officially released, it received rave reviews and became a huge box office success, a dark horse of the year. Furthermore, the movie’s promotional theme sparked deep thought, and the public began to consciously protect the environment.
Following this, Xia Chenge fell seriously ill, her personality changed drastically, and she took a year off from school.
Immediately after, Ling Hanmu went abroad and was gone for ten years.
During these ten years, people never stopped speculating about the reason for their breakup.
Even Meng Yufei and the others couldn’t get an answer from either of them.
However, the Xia Chenge everyone remembered was only the Xia Chenge of the 21st century; all traces of the Apocalypse Xia Chenge’s existence were erased.
For example, that astonishing basketball game, or the gold medal she once won for Yan Sheng High School at the City Games… all of it ceased to exist, as if it had never happened, vanishing completely.
Even Ning Xia and Ji Yanmo, who had interacted with Xia Chenge, no longer remembered her.
Only Ling Hanmu and the 21st-century Xia Chenge knew that a soul from the Apocalypse had once existed.
The day Ling Hanmu returned to the country, Xia Chenge went to pick him up.
Although they had dissolved their marriage contract, they had become close friends who could talk about anything, due to their shared memories of the genius girl Xia Chenge.
Xia Chenge had also transformed from her past reclusive and timid self into a positive and upward-looking person. She said that even if she couldn’t become Miss Sister, she would at least strive to be like her. Now, she had taken over Sheng Xia Group from Old Master Xia and become the young chairman.
Ling Hanmu’s return was low-key, but even so, his outstanding appearance and extraordinary demeanor made him the center of attention at the airport.
Ten years had passed, yet he still spotted that familiar face from the crowd at a glance.
“I thought the plane would be delayed, luckily I came earlier and made it just in time,” Xia Chenge said to him with a smile.
Looking at the shrewd and capable Xia Chenge, Ling Hanmu still felt a trace of obscure, unidentifiable pain.
Ten years had not only failed to diminish that feeling but had instead made it like wine, growing richer and more mellow with time.
“Luckily, otherwise you’d be finished!” Ling Hanmu suppressed his emotions and glanced at her.
He seemed no different from before, still smiling often, but certain things that occasionally surfaced could no longer be hidden.
“You haven’t been back for ten years. Are you planning to go out again now that you’ve returned?” Xia Chenge asked. “How have you been abroad all these years?”
“Being free and unrestrained alone, how could it not be good? It’s a pity my old man won’t let me have my fun and is forcing me to return, otherwise he’ll cut off my finances. Sigh, you know, without money, you can’t go anywhere, so I had to give in.” Ling Hanmu put on a show of being forced.
Xia Chenge sighed inwardly; after so many years, he still hadn’t moved on!
However, she had no standing to persuade him about anything. Perhaps it was time to tell him about Miss Sister’s arrangements.
“How is your father?”
“Yes, he’s very well.”
“So quickly, ten years have passed.”
“Yes, ten years!”
After saying this, both of them felt a sudden lump in their throats and fell silent in unison.
Xia Chenge had come to pick up Ling Hanmu alone.
After getting into the car, Xia Chenge thought for a moment and then asked him, “Hanmu, after all these years, do you still miss her?”
Ling Hanmu’s hands tightened, and he quietly clenched them into fists, his expression calm. “It’s been so long, and we have no ability to change history. Let’s just leave it at that.”
“Haven’t you met any good girls all these years?”
“No matter how good they are, they aren’t her, are they? If I accepted them, it would be irresponsible to myself and to them. Although I’m a notorious figure in Haicheng, I still have principles,” Ling Hanmu said with a light laugh. “Otherwise, I would have had a string of girlfriends back then.”
Xia Chenge’s eyes were filled with heartache. “It’s been so long, and you still haven’t forgotten.”
“Chenge, you also know that some things can’t be forgotten in a lifetime,” Ling Hanmu looked down at his hands. He was now just an ordinary person with decent combat skills, no longer possessing the abilities of the Zombie King.
Sometimes he wished it had all been a dream, but whenever he woke up at midnight, her voice and smile became even clearer…
“There’s something I’ve never told you,” Xia Chenge suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to look at Ling Hanmu seriously. “Miss Sister knew she would leave very early on, so she made all the arrangements in advance.”
“What did she arrange?” Ling Hanmu’s tone suddenly became agitated.
“When I returned to the Xia family, I saw a letter she left for me. She told me that she had secretly preserved her egg cells. If you still couldn’t forget her by the time you were thirty, you were to let me tell you.”
Ling Hanmu froze, disbelieving.
“She said that if you had a child to accompany you, you wouldn’t be so lonely,” Xia Chenge’s eyes reddened.
Ling Hanmu shed tears without warning.
“It was under my identity, but she said those two egg cells possessed her genes. However, the success rate was up to fate,” Xia Chenge said.
Ling Hanmu trembled slightly. “I understand!”
“Do you want to come back with me to get the information?”
“Let’s go now.”
…
One year later.
Country A had another explosive piece of news.
Ling Hanmu, the president of Tiansheng Group, had an illegitimate child and held a grand banquet, with the child’s mother being unknown.
However, at the banquet, all the guests saw Ling Hanmu’s doting affection for the child, treating him as a treasure. They even witnessed Ling Hanmu personally feeding the child, his proficiency completely unlike that of a novice father.
Later, people heard that Ling Hanmu didn’t even hire a nanny and left the company to his father, personally taking care of the child until the child started kindergarten, before he resumed control of Tiansheng Group.
Even later, Ling Hanmu’s twin children became famous child prodigies in Country A. At a young age, they hacked into Tiansheng Group’s work system and playfully left them a pair of cute little zombies.
However, Ling Hanmu not only didn’t punish them but even allowed them to participate in various hacker competitions, sweeping up numerous trophies.
As his twin children grew up, many people noticed that they bore a mysterious resemblance to Xia Chenge, especially Ling Hanmu’s daughter, who was a miniature version of Xia Chenge.
But people also discovered that Xia Chenge had been working all these years and had no time to have children.
Therefore, the mother of Ling Hanmu’s children became an unsolved mystery.
They only knew that Ling Hanmu’s children were named Ling Niannian and Ling Buwang.
The End
The story ends here, and there probably won’t be any epilogues. In fact, from Hua Lou’s perspective, this is the best ending. Chenge came from the future and changed history, so she would also disappear. Everyone, please don’t be disappointed. The future of the story without the Apocalypse is Chenge’s wish.
Hua Lou has started a new book, a fantasy female-led novel. Little cuties who like it can head over to Hot-blooded Beast World: The Supreme Empress is Too Unstoppable, throw your recommendation tickets at the new book, and give it a collection. Love you all.
Synopsis: What should you do if you wake up and find yourself kicked into a world where cultivation is paramount? Jun Lin says, besides just dealing with it, you have to stir up this world!
What? Humans in this world are slaves to the Beast Tribe? Jun Lin says, then let the oppressed rise up and sing, overthrow the Beast Tribe’s rule, and become their own masters!
Um, martial arts are considered evil ways here? Jun Lin says: In the face of absolute power, any restriction is a paper tiger!
…
Jun Lin, stepping on the Beast Tribe, gets carried away and teases a handsome man: This young man, you have peculiar bones and exceptional talent, you are a rare genius in practicing martial arts, how about we together…
Before she could finish speaking, the handsome man excitedly interrupted: You want to take me as your disciple and cultivate together?
Jun Lin was furious: Get lost, cultivate your head!
Di Lin Tian: As you command, Queen. The bed is over there, let’s roll together!
