sbdcsierra Chapter 184 The lost time can never be recovered.
Chapter 184 The lost time can never be recovered.
Shang Yibo was shocked and blurted out, "Aunt Chang? How could she... Jian Zheng, I'm sorry."
Jian Zheng waved his hand gently and said calmly, "It's okay. My mother has been gone for twenty years. I've accepted it whether I wanted to or not."
He shifted his body and continued, "My mother has always been a strong-willed person. After the Cheng Agen incident, she was suspended from her job, and you can imagine the pressure she was under during that time. Unfortunately, my father and I weren't by her side, and we didn't take good care of her. The accident in the lab ultimately became the last straw that broke her."
Shang Yibo was silent for a moment, then picked up the teapot and poured some tea into each of their cups. He then gently pushed Jian Zheng's cup toward him and sighed, "Alas, life is unpredictable. I never expected so many things to happen. When you and Zhou Yanruo encountered misfortune, I was unable to be by your side. When my friends and loved ones needed me the most, I just disappeared."
Jian Zheng picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and forced a bitter smile: "What's meant to happen will happen, whether you're here or not can't stop it. It just means one more person is saddened, and we have one more source of comfort, but so what? These days, the cheapest things are sympathy and comfort."
He slammed the teacup back onto the coffee table, then changed the subject: "Never mind that. Let's talk about Zhang Qian."
Shang Yibo picked up the conversation and said, "You just said that Zhang Qian was also injured in the accident, so his life afterward must not be easy. Is that why he's avoiding you? Is it because he doesn't want to cause you trouble? He's stubborn and strong-willed, but deep down he's insecure."
Jian Zheng's expression suddenly turned gloomy, his voice filled with resentment: "He's lucky. Not only did he not fall into trouble because of the accident, but he also benefited from being named a 'model of bravery.' The suffering of others, even the price of their lives, has made him who he is."
Upon hearing this, Shang Yibo frowned and looked at Jian Zheng with confusion: "Why are you saying that about him? What do you mean by that?"
Jian Zheng clenched his teeth, his face contorted with rage. He said bitterly, "Zhang Qian lied through his teeth during the investigation after the accident. Even though there was clear evidence that it was a negligence accident, and that his senior was the one who caused it, he tried his best to exonerate his senior, distorting the facts and claiming that the main cause of the accident was the chaotic management of the laboratory, the lack of safety awareness, and the superiors' focus on political achievements and negligence in supervision. He even reported the misappropriation of experimental funds. And he himself transformed into a firefighting hero, receiving praise and various preferential treatments."
Shang Yibo pursed his lips into a straight line, remaining silent and listening attentively to Jian Zheng's narration.
As Jian Zheng described the events of that year, the scene gradually became clearer in his mind:
To protect his senior, Zhang Qian fabricated a complete story, attributing the disaster caused by human error to systemic loopholes and inadequate supervision, even implicating corruption. This statement was exploited by malicious individuals and used to fabricate yet another disciplinary case against Mayor Chang, leading the already heavily burdened mayor to end his own life under unbearable pressure.
There were two knocks on the door, and then Zhou Yanruo pushed it open and walked in. "You two have been chatting for so long? Jian Zheng, go get something to eat. I've had a light meal prepared. It'll be time to head to the airport after we finish eating."
Shang Yibo's gaze followed Zhou Yanruo's figure from the doorway to her face. He gradually understood why Zhou Yanruo always gave off a distant and aloof feeling, even appearing cold and unapproachable in her interactions with others. It turned out that the girl who had once been pampered like a princess had experienced such a drastic change. She had to face the coldness and indifference of this world alone; the experiences of the past twenty years had forced her to wear a strong shell.
Looking at her pale yet exceptionally beautiful face, Shang Yibo's eyes welled up with tears, gradually blurring. He instinctively turned his face away, not wanting her to see.
Zhou Yanruo walked to the sofa. The two people who had been chatting just moments before fell silent as soon as she entered.
She sensed that the atmosphere in the room was somewhat subtle, with both Shang Yibo and Jian Zheng wearing intriguing expressions.
Her gaze swept over the two of them, and she asked softly, "What are you two talking about? It sounds like a serious topic."
Seeing Shang Yibo turn his face away, Jian Zheng understood a bit. This former friend was still so soft-hearted, unable to bear even the slightest human suffering. Back then, Wang Jie was poor, but everyone around him was kind and willing to help him. Now, Shang Yibo was even more so, a pampered young master cherished by everyone. For him, even a single day of bad mood could become a major issue.
As Jian Zheng watched Zhou Yanruo approach, his expression immediately changed, a smile instantly spreading across his face. He teased, "How could our conversations as men be so light and frivolous? They're all so serious, okay?"
Seeing him tease her, Zhou Yanruo breathed a sigh of relief, rolled her eyes at Jian Zheng, and laughed, "You're still so witty. This talent for talking is something that time can't take away. I don't think you can change it."
“I didn’t intend to change it, isn’t this good? Happy and carefree.” Jian Zheng then said to Shang Yibo, “Take good care of your injury, see you in Huizhou.”
After Jian Zheng finished speaking, he stood up, put away his smile, and said in a formal tone, "Thank you for your hospitality, President Zhou. I won't have the meal. I'd like to use your company's conference room for a meeting with my team, and then I'll head straight to the airport."
“They’re already in the conference room. I arranged for someone to bring them food, and they’re probably eating by now. Come on, I’ll take you there.” Zhou Yanruo then said to Shang Yibo, “Lunch was late, so you shouldn’t be hungry right now. Let’s go back and eat. Zihang has already started cooking. You wait here for me, I’ll be right back.”
Shang Yibo didn't look directly at Zhou Yanruo, and hummed softly with his throat.
Only after Zhou Yanruo and Jian Zheng had completely disappeared outside the office door did he slowly stand up and walk to the large French windows. Outside, the night was as dark as ink, as if swallowing all light, with only a few cold, star-like lights shimmering on the windowpane—the faint light reflected from the crystal chandelier inside, reflecting his complex and indescribable feelings at that moment.
In the early years of the new millennium, Zhou Yanruo not only endured immense pain and confusion from Wang Jie's sudden disappearance, but also suffered the devastating blow of the sudden death of her parents. At that time, she must have felt utterly hopeless and helpless. Shang Yibo felt an indescribable pang of guilt and heartache, as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing on his chest, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
He felt deep regret. In the months since he reunited with Zhou Yanruo, what had he done? He had only noticed the changes in her, but had not explored the reasons behind these changes, simply attributing them to the passage of time.
What made him feel even more guilty was that he was only concerned with his own calculations. For the sake of his pitiful pride and face, he would rather choose to observe and speculate than face the fact that she still remembered him.
This belated awakening left him feeling both guilty and powerless.
The lost time can never be recovered or made up for; he cannot let the regrets of the past continue. Whatever awaits him ahead, he should face his feelings squarely.
Zhou Yanruo: "Let's go."
Upon hearing this, Shang Yibo snapped out of his daze and turned around to find that Zhou Yanruo had been standing behind him at some point.