Marriage First, True Love Later



218 Time is needed

“Zhou han?” Lin Li looked at him with some uncertainty.

Zhou han raised his head and was a little surprised to see Lin Li in front of him. He didn’t expect to meet her in the hospital.

After confirming that it was him, Lin Li stepped forward and looked at his tightly furrowed brows and tired face. She couldn’t help but ask worriedly, ” “Are you alright?”

Zhou han didn’t say anything and just looked at her. He seemed to be struggling and suppressing something in his heart.

Lin Li thought back to the news report about Ling LAN. If she didn’t remember wrongly, Ling LAN seemed to be staying in the Zhang family’s Hospital. Thinking about it this way, it made sense. The reason why he was here was probably to see Ling LAN.

Suddenly, she didn’t know what to say. She could understand how he felt at this moment and understood the struggle in his heart at this moment. After all, it was a relationship of more than ten years. It was one thing to make the decision to forget and let go, but could he really let go immediately?

The answer was, of course, No. After all, he had put in so much emotion at that time. It was not something that could be retracted immediately.

Lin Li really didn’t know what she could say at this time. Perhaps she should let him be alone for a while.

With that in mind, Lin Li said, ” “I’ll go back first.” With that, he turned around to leave.

Lin Li’s hand was caught by Zhou han when she turned around. He held her wrist tightly without any intention of letting go.

Lin Li turned around and looked at him. what’s the matter? ”

Zhou han didn’t say anything. He just held her hand tightly and stared at her deeply.

Lin Li didn’t know what he wanted to do, but she felt an unspeakable uneasiness when he grabbed her like this without saying anything.

After a long while, Lin Li finally couldn’t help but say, ” “Um, um, I … I know that it takes time to let go of some things.”

Before Lin Li could finish her sentence, she was already pulled forward by Zhou han. Then, Zhou han reached out and wrapped his arms around Lin Li’s waist. He buried his head in Lin Li’s waist and hugged her tightly. His strength wasn’t small and it was a little heavy.

Being hugged by him like this, Lin Li took a while to react. She looked down at Zhou han, who was holding her waist tightly. She raised her hand and wanted to push him away, but she couldn’t bear to see his eyes just now.

She didn’t know where to put her hand that was raised in the air. In the end, she could only gently Pat his shoulder and ask, ” “Z-Zhou han, are you alright?”

With his head buried in her waist, Zhou han said, ” “Just let me hug you for a while.” Her tone was tense and unnatural.

Hearing him say this, Lin Li didn’t say anything more. She only sighed silently and let him hug her like that.

She didn’t know how long Zhou han hugged her like this, but when Lin Li felt that her legs were starting to go numb and her heels were starting to hurt slightly because of her high heels, Zhou han finally let go of her and stood up. He didn’t look at her and only said softly, ” let’s go. Then, she walked toward the hospital entrance.

The sun on the horizon was slowly setting, leaving only a little afterglow reflected in the sky, dyeing the clouds red. A thin breeze blew, and the late autumn evening wind carried a little chill. Lin Li suddenly felt a chill on her abdomen. She looked down and saw that her shirt was wet. She looked up at the tall figure in front of her and felt a little touched in her heart. She only realized later that it was heartache and reluctance.

She opened the door and sat in Zhou Han’s car that was parked at the hospital entrance. Lin Li reached out to pull the seat belt and fastened it. She sat up straight and habitually turned her head to look out the window.

After a while, she still didn’t see Zhou han start the car and leave. Lin Li turned her head around in confusion, and when she turned her head, she happened to meet his eyes. It turned out that he had been staring at her all this time.

Their eyes met, and Lin Li couldn’t help but be stunned. She subconsciously asked, ” “What’s wrong?”

Zhou han looked at her fixedly, just like how he did in the hospital just now. He just looked at her and didn’t say anything.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Lin Li looked at him and thought for a while before saying, ” “Should I drive?”

Zhou han still didn’t say anything and just stared at her.

Lin Li really didn’t know what to say or what to say. She could only follow him in silence.

The two of them sat in the car like this for a long time. The sky outside gradually darkened, and the beautiful sunset was also replaced by the night sky. Zhou han, who was silent in the car, suddenly opened his mouth and said, ” “I didn’t go up.”

“Eh?” He said it without a beginning or an end, and Lin Li felt a little confused. She didn’t quite understand what he meant for a moment and could only look at him in confusion.

Zhou han looked at her, turned his head, and said softly, ” I didn’t go up to see Ling LAN. Before he had come, he had told himself that he was going to see Ling LAN one last time. After this, he would not see her again. He would treat it as a way to end the feelings he had put in for her all these years. However, after coming to the hospital, while waiting for the elevator, he hesitated. He repeatedly asked himself,’since I’ve already decided to let go, what’s the point of seeing her one last time?’

As such, he hesitated and sat on the stone chair by the flower bed in the hospital. He didn’t go up until Lin Li appeared and called him.

Lin Li looked at him for a while before finally saying, ” “I understand. Some things always need time.” She believed that his determination to let go of Ling LAN was real, but she also understood that this process of letting go would take time. It could be long or short.

Zhou han didn’t say anything more. He started the car and left.

Lin Li didn’t say anything more. She glanced at him and turned her head again to look at the scenery that flew past outside the window.

The atmosphere in the car was so quiet that it was a little strange. The two of them did not speak again along the way.

The car slowly stopped in the underground parking lot of the building. When Lin Li reached out to open the door and was about to get out, Zhou han, who was at the side, suddenly asked, ” “Why did you go to the hospital just now? are you feeling unwell?”

Lin Li, who was holding the doorknob, hesitated for a moment, shook her head, and only said, ” no, Anran’s mother is in poor health and has been hospitalized, so I went to see her.

Upon hearing this, Zhou han nodded in understanding. He didn’t ask anything more and directly opened the door to get out of the car.

The two of them walked towards the elevator one after another. While waiting for the elevator, Zhou Han’s phone rang. It was a call from the institution compound. He held the phone and looked at it for a while before finally picking it up. Hello.

“Ah han, are you back from your business trip?”

The call was from mother Zhou. The entire environment was too quiet, and there was no sound in the surroundings, so Lin Li could clearly hear every word that mother Zhou said.

“I’m back.” Zhou han replied. His voice was neither hot nor cold, neither light nor heavy. It was so calm that there was no fluctuation or wave.

On the other end of the phone, mother Zhou paused for a moment and said, ” you know what happened to Ling LAN, right? Lin Li told you that I brought the child here, right? ”

“Yes.” Zhou han replied indifferently, as if he wasn’t talking about his own matters.

AI, why are you … mother Zhou wanted to say something, but she didn’t say it in the end. She only heard a sigh on the other side of the phone and said, ” Xiao bin has caught a cold these past two days. Since you’re back, come over tonight. The child misses you and even calls for him when he’s asleep.

Zhou han was silent for a while and only said, ” “I’m not going. I still have some work to do at the company.”

“Work, work, all you have in your heart and eyes is work! That’s your child, your own flesh and blood. Is that not as good as your so-called lousy job?” On the other end of the phone, mother Zhou was a little agitated and said angrily,”Zhou han, when did you become so cold-blooded? I don’t know what happened between you and Ling LAN that led to you breaking up, but Xiao bin is still your son. Even if there’s something between you and Ling LAN, you shouldn’t blame Xiao bin for your unhappiness!”

Looking at the elevator floor displayed on the wall, Zhou han only said, ” “I didn’t.”

“You don’t know it in your heart.” Mother Zhou hung up the phone after she finished speaking.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou han stared at the screen for a long time before finally putting the phone back into his pocket.

Ding! Ding! Ding! The elevator arrived and the passengers inside came out.

After the passengers inside all came out one after another, the elevator was left empty for a while, but Zhou han and Lin Li didn’t go in.

The two of them stood at the elevator door for a long time before Lin Li finally said, ” “Um … Why don’t I go and see the child?”

“No need,” Zhou han refused and reached out to press the elevator button again.

Lin Li looked at him and finally couldn’t help but say, ” Zhou Han, Xiao bin is your child after all.

Hearing that, Zhou han turned his head abruptly and said with a little excitement, ” “You don’t even know if he’s my son or not!”

Lin Li was stunned. She was a little frightened by his sudden emotions and was speechless for a while.

Zhou han closed his eyes in pain. His hands were clenched tightly by his sides, as if he was trying to suppress the surging emotions in his heart.

After a long while, he opened his eyes and looked at Lin Li. He said softly, ” you can go up first. After he finished speaking, he walked past Lin Li and headed back to the parking lot.

Lin Li watched his back disappear around the corner of the corridor. Finally, she sighed and shook her head, then pressed the elevator button again.

Lin Li didn’t know if Zhou han had gone to the institution compound or somewhere else. She went upstairs alone and thought of driving to the compound to see Xiao bin’s situation, but she gave up in the end. In the end, with her current status, she didn’t have the right to care about the child or anything else.

She sat in the living room and watched TV in boredom. She had no purpose and was just passing the time.

Just like that, she half-laid on the sofa and fell asleep.

Lin Li didn’t know how long she had been sleeping on the sofa like this. In her daze, she felt as if she was floating in the air. Her entire body felt light. She lifted her heavy eyelids and seemed to see Zhou Han’s blurry face.