War of Roses: The Proud Tycoon，Please Surrender!-Chapter 268: From now on, as an observer

She’s still smiling!

Xiang Linghao felt even more depressed inside.

This is the difference!

He always considered her feelings and mood, but she, when he was feeling down, was still smiling. Xiang Linghao felt quite unfair and wanted so much to give himself a chance to fight for it, but he ultimately restrained himself.

In the end, he still didn’t want to lose Xue Xianglan.

Even if there’s no hope ahead, he still wanted to stay by her side, even if she wouldn’t accept it.

Both had their own thoughts, yet he still couldn’t understand Xue Xianglan’s heart.

Sometimes, when you love too much, you forget the initial determination without hesitation, so it’s not so straightforward, leading to taking more detours.

"I haven’t had breakfast yet, accompany me to eat," Xue Xianglan said. This was not a question but a certainty, she was sure Xiang Linghao wouldn’t refuse.

Sure enough, Xiang Linghao put away all his emotions and nodded towards her, "Okay."

He also hadn’t had breakfast.

Xue Xianglan got up and walked out directly, Xiang Linghao quickly followed and closed the office door.

"Huh? Is that Doctor Xiang’s girlfriend?"

"Looks like it, but not quite..."

"What do you mean?"

"Hard to say..."

The passing doctors and nurses couldn’t understand the relationship between the two of them.

Clearly felt so compatible, yet felt like something was missing between them.

In the end, it was the courage to take that unstepped step that was missing.

The restaurant’s TV was showing what happened at the entrance of the Tang Group this morning.

Xiang Linghao let Xue Xianglan order what she liked, and after he ordered for himself, his eyes casually glanced at the TV and heard the sound coming from the TV drama.

"This morning, the President of Tang Group personally admitted that the woman in the morning paper is his girlfriend and that she will become his wife in the future, becoming the mistress of the Tang Family. So who is this woman..."

Xiang Linghao suddenly stared at the TV, the camera turned to Tang Yuxiu and Gu Yan surrounded by reporters.

Xiang Linghao was surprised, "Gu Yan? She’s back?"

Xue Xianglan raised an eyebrow, "You didn’t know?"

Xiang Linghao shook his head, "I stayed in the lab all night without rest and didn’t watch the news, so naturally, I knew nothing."

Clearly, when Tang Yuxiu came yesterday, Gu Yan was not seen. How did it happen that the moment he went to the lab, Gu Yan returned!

This Tang Yuxiu really leaves no loophole.

Looking at Xue Xianglan again, no wonder she came to find him in such a good mood, it turns out it was because Gu Yan came back.

During the time Gu Yan was away, her temper had gotten much more irritable, especially when hearing Tang Yuxiu’s name or seeing him, she couldn’t help but get angry.

Now it’s better, Gu Yan is back, and her temper is under control.

Otherwise, he really couldn’t handle it.

Besides, he now had no stand to say anything to her.

Hearing Xiang Linghao say he didn’t know, Xue Xianglan suddenly felt a lot more balanced in her heart, at least she wasn’t the last to know.

Then seeing the dark circles under his eyes, spending a whole night in the lab without resting, he must be very tired now, but since she came, he didn’t show it at all.

The breakfast they ordered arrived, Xue Xianglan picked up chopsticks, eating while saying, "Finish breakfast and go get some rest, I didn’t sleep well last night either, I’ll go catch up on sleep later."

"Okay," Xiang Linghao agreed.

Xue Xianglan silently complained, speak one more word and you’ll die, huh.

The rest of the meal was eaten almost in silence.

Xue Xianglan sighed quietly; it was such an effort to come to have a meal with him, yet it was this silent.

Could it be that they had already become without words to say to each other?

Time flowed by, they both had grown out of their immaturity and became mature, yet many things, many passions, were worn away by time leaving nothing.

"Xiang Linghao, sometimes I’m moved that you always think of me, but sometimes, I feel it’s too hateful."

If only for a moment, he was thinking for himself, perhaps between them, it wouldn’t always be this stalemate.

Before Xue Xianglan left, she declined Xiang Linghao’s request to send her back, saying this to him.

However, Xiang Linghao alone understood it as, his kindness to her, and his feelings for her, caused her trouble.

His heart was so sad.

Watching Xue Xianglan get into a taxi, he stood in place, clearly, the eastern sun had risen, the street bathed in golden light, but the early autumn wind blew, and he still felt a piercing cold.

So, was a person’s love ultimately undecidable for eternity?

Did he still have to choose to let go, even his kindness to her had to learn to let it go?

Why is it so hard to love someone?

The hand by Xiang Linghao’s side clenched tightly, if given a choice again, would he regret having chosen to go abroad for further studies back then, and giving up on her.

Back then, it was because he couldn’t provide her a stable and carefree future, and now, her future is not his.

All the achievements and fame felt so insignificant compared to Xue Xianglan.

Perhaps, he has already regretted it.

Perhaps, he has not yet regretted it.

Even if her future is not with him, as long as she lives without worries and is happy, what does it matter?

He will just watch, he will no longer be involved.

Like she said, at least they grew up together from childhood, there are some feelings between them.

Perhaps from now on, he will always watch her joy and sorrow as a bystander, no longer for himself.

The clouds obscure the sun’s brilliance, but in this bright sunny day, the light is still glaringly bright.

People come and go on the street, cars bustling by, yet he stands alone in the gray zone, with no one approaching, no one paying attention.

...

Xiang Linghao walked back to the hospital alone, clearly feeling tired and wanting to sleep when he left the lab, but now, there’s no trace of sleepiness.

Moreover, he doesn’t want to sleep.

He always feels that, once he closes his eyes, Xue Xianglan’s words will echo in his ears, causing his heart to ache relentlessly.

To love someone to the bone, every word and action of hers can easily tug at his muscles and bones, as if separating his body, very painful, very painful.

He went back to the office to grab the experiment report and then dived back into the lab.

He continuously needs to use something he likes to distract himself.

Xue Xianglan would never know, that during the time immediately after they parted, whenever he felt miserable, when he missed her, he would engage in research incessantly, staying awake for days and nights until his body couldn’t take it anymore, collapsing in the lab and getting carried out by others, only then could he rest.

He has always worked harder than anyone else, and his success today is mostly due to this reason.

What he always held onto was the hope that he’d have the ability to give her a worry-free future once more.

Finally, the day has come when the belief is no longer the reason for him to persist; she no longer needs his future.

...

Xue Xianglan returned home to find Xue Jiarui’s car already parked outside.

"Is it raining red today? Young Master, you’re not out having fun?"

Xue Jiarui saw her come back and replied, "Everyone else has things to do, only I am free. I’m bored, tired of playing, so I’d rather come home."

"You’ve finally become a little sensible. If you’re bored, go help at the company. Mom and Dad would be thrilled."

Xue Jiarui waved his hands and shook his head repeatedly, "Forget about going to the company, I’m not cut out for that."

Xue Xianglan nodded in agreement, "Indeed, you’re just designed to be a playboy."

Xue Jiarui, "...Sister, how can you look down on your cute brother like this."

Xue Xianglan sat down on the sofa on the other side, blinking her big eyes, "Did I say anything wrong?"

Xue Jiarui looked at her gloomily, "Are you even my real sister?"

Who knew Xue Xianglan would seriously consider it then say, "Actually, I’ve always thought you were adopted."

What the hell!

Xue Jiarui grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Xue Xianglan swatted it away.

"It’s a reasonable assumption, don’t be angry."

"Hmph, I’m a man, I won’t argue with a woman like you."

"Little rascal."

Xue Jiarui snorted again, then turned to ask, "Sister, where did you go alone? I thought you’d be back before me."

"I went to the hospital," Xue Xianglan replied.

Upon hearing this, Xue Jiarui immediately jumped up from the sofa, ran to Xue Xianglan, and pulled her up to look her up and down with obvious worry, "What’s wrong with you? Where are you uncomfortable? Why go to the hospital?"

"Does going to the hospital always mean something’s wrong? I went to see Xiang Linghao."

Hearing this, Xue Jiarui blinked, still with some dullness.

"You went to see Brother Hao?!"

What the hell, did something happen that he was unaware of?

Xue Xianglan nodded, simply skipping the idea of sitting down, and directly bypassed him to go upstairs.

She felt extremely tired now, really wanted to sleep.

But Xue Jiarui blocked her way, his face full of gossip, eyes sparkling, "Sis, why did you go see Brother Hao? What made you decide to go see Brother Hao on your own? Have you changed your mind, planning to be with Brother Hao?"

Xue Xianglan gave him a sideways glance, "Why so many questions all of a sudden, you’re so concerned about others’ business, why not worry about your own."

Xue Jiarui didn’t care about Xue Xianglan’s attitude, "Sis, you’re my sister, Brother Hao is my buddy, why shouldn’t I worry about you guys? Sis, tell me, what did you do after all?"

"Dear brother, we just went to have breakfast, why are you so concerned?"

Ah? Xue Jiarui’s mouth twitched, "Just had breakfast? Nothing else?"

"Really nothing else," Xue Xianglan said helplessly.

Why is he more enthusiastic about their affairs than they themselves are?

Isn’t this like the eunuch being more anxious than the emperor?

Oh, her dear brother was exactly that... "eunuch."

"Sis, when will you guys get back together?" Xue Jiarui persistently asked.

When he asked this question, Xue Xianglan’s eyes wandered ahead, becoming somewhat lost.

After a long while, she finally spoke, "There’s no hope for the time being. My dear brother, if your Brother Hao remains so stubborn and unadaptive, it’s impossible for me to start over with him."

After saying this, Xue Xianglan left, leaving Xue Jiarui standing there dumbfounded, trying to digest Xue Xianglan’s words, which were hard for the emotionally clueless Xue Jiarui to understand.