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Xu Tingsheng returned home that very day. One of his motives in returning this time was to chat with his father in person.

Actually, it was more like entrusting him with some things.

After spending two days at home, Xu Tingsheng went to attend the funeral of Apple’s Grandma.

Yet, many people overlooked his presence that day as an even more obtrusive figure appeared. Cen Xishan, that bastard who had abandoned his wife and daughter that year, actually came back to attend the funeral.

Everyone was discussing it.

Apple wasn’t willing to let him enter.

Apple’s mother stopped her daughter, being unexpectedly calm.

“You’re here?” She asked, “My Mum was old and befuddled. A while ago, she even asked me if you were in a lesson...I said you were. I heard you’re doing pretty well now?”

“Yes. You...”

How Cen Xishan wished to reach out and stroke his wife’s frail face. It had been more than ten years...still, he did not dare to do so. In returning to attend this funeral alone, he had already overexerted himself, bearing too much of a risk.

If not for the fact that Zhou Yuandai actually did not think too much of him now, he would probably not even have such a chance. Even so, two ‘assistants’ followed behind him.

“I’m doing very well too. There’s no need to worry about me,” Apple’s mother said, “You should leave after you go in and say goodbye to my mother, lest a certain someone is unhappy.”

Even now, Apple’s mother did not know the truth of the situation. She just treated it as a shifting of his affections-having also chosen to accept and forgive it.

“Right,” Cen Xishan’s answer consisted only of a single word.

This was a reunion after more than a decade! Over this time, the woman had already had grey hairs and wrinkles. Yet, there was merely a mere few words in a brief meeting. At this moment, Cen Xishan seemed so heartless.

The funeral took place in the village as a traditional ceremony. Libei had not yet fully adopted cremation at this time. The spiritual hall was on the outside while the coffin was placed at the back of it...

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Cen Xishan glanced at Xu Tingsheng as he walked to the back of the spiritual hall.

The light was very dim here. Cen Xishan turned back and glanced at his two assistants, asking, “You don’t have to follow me to the coffin, right?”

The two assistants stopped but stood very close by, close enough to hear anything Cen Xishan said.

They heard him kneeling in silence.

It was at this time that Xu Tingsheng walked to the back of the spiritual hall. Logically speaking, only close kin would have the chance to see off the dead at their coffin. Still, no one felt it to be unreasonable as he entered...

This was his first time seeing Cen Xishan in person.

......

After another two days at home, a completely oblivious Xu Tingsheng set off on his return journey alone.

Apple did not continue promoting her new album but stayed in Libei to accompany her mother. To be precise, besides consoling her grandmother on her deathbed, Xu Tingsheng had acted pretty appropriately in the entire matter.

Still, he did not know...soon, things would all change.

Xu Tingsheng received a call from Apple on the way back.

The article had been published by the magazine on this very day.

“Sorry, sorry. I will do my best to clarify it,” Apple briefly summarised the comments of the article over the phone before frantically apologising.

“I’ll think of a way to see it. Also, you don’t have to rush to clarify things. Let’s respond when Tianyi’s team has thought up a plan...I’m afraid of things getting more chaotic the more that is said,” Xu Tingsheng hung up and bought a copy of the magazine at Jiannan City, also finding a place to access the internet for a while.

The article could not be considered that outrageous. The picture that accompanied it could also barely be considered moving.

The voices on the internet were the same as well. Besides resenting the two for having fooled them all along, besides some who were cursing, many people gave them their blessings too.

A single male and a single female, talented and good-looking. It could not be considered a scandal in truth, just gossip at most.

Still, Xu Tingsheng’s heart sank entirely...

He actually wasn’t concerned about the opinions of many. Still, there was one person whom he was afraid he might not be able to explain things to this time, this being Xiang Ning. And even if he managed to do so, it would inevitably hurt her too.

Since his rebirth, Xu Tingsheng had never yet tangibly hurt Xiang Ning. He had thought that that could be avoided forever...he had thought that he could always protect and cherish her.

He tried calling Xiang Ning’s phone. Just as he had thought, it was turned off. She should be at school, attending lessons.

Tianyi’s PR team soon sent several proposals over. What they considered was still mainly how to protect the images of Xu Tingsheng and Apple. At the same time, they did not feel that this matter was all that serious.

Xu Tingsheng rejected them all.

Apple rejected them too.

What they wanted was to clarify the relationship between the two as clean and innocent, this being virtually impossible. The cohabitation that the article spoke of was actually fact. Only if Fang Chen who was in America or Lu Zhixin stepped forward and said something might it be remedied.

He tried to contact Fang Chen but to no avail. She had just gone to America recently. To stay undistracted by anything, even Fang Yuqing was presently unable to contact her.

Xu Tingsheng called Lu Zhixin.

After hearing him out, Lu Zhixin said calmly, “I’m not willing.”

“Why?”

“If this incident can cause you to break up with Xiang Ning with a rift appearing between you and Apple, I think that it will be a good thing for me. Pardon my bluntness...if it was something else you wanted me to do, I’d be fine with it. For instance, you can come back to Hucheng anytime you want. Still, for me to help you for another woman...sorry, I’m not so noble.”

This was Lu Zhixin.

Xu Tingsheng returned home, feeling guilty and uneasy. Xiang Ning was not there. Worried about rumours among classmates in school, Xu Tingsheng had thought of going to her school to look for her. Still, arriving at the entrance of the school, he had grown timid, because he did not know how to explain it.

Speak of the performance where Apple had said farewell to the entertainment industry for the first time?

Xiang Ning had been present too that day. She had bought him a shirt, and he had chosen another woman.

Speak of that later period of time in which Xiang Ning viewed Uncle as being incomparably pitiful, having been bullied by her parents?

At that time, he had indeed been living with Apple.

More importantly, Xiang Ning had asked about this before, and Xu Tingsheng had chosen to lie to her.

When one has lied, they can only constantly make things up to back up that lie, till one day, it is no longer possible to do so.

It was not a weeknight that night.

Xu Tingsheng sat in the living room, his phone thrown to the side. Apple had been calling him non-stop, but he hadn’t heard it.

Xu Tingsheng was rather taken aback when Xiang Ning opened the door and entered.

“I just knew you’d be at home. You’re surely waiting for me right? What, isn’t it just an ex-girlfriend? Logically speaking, it shouldn’t matter,” Xiang Ning closed the door, “Still, I’m still so sad...”

“I’ve really tried very hard, Xu Tingsheng. I’ve tried very hard to counsel myself. But...I still can’t look past it. What should I do?”

“Mum and Dad are angry too. They definitely won’t let me come during the weekend. That’s why I applied for leave today and secretly came. Help me to look past it, okay? I so want to continue liking you!”

While tears were rolling down her face, she still tried hard to smile for Xu Tingsheng.