Chapter 154: Parting Today

Cui Yue's gaze gradually grew passionate, his heart pounding as tender emotions spread through his chest.

Yang Liu also felt Cui Yue's unusual gaze and slowly lowered her head, her face flushed with shyness.

"You are so beautiful."

Cui Yue's lips moved slightly, and in an instant, he wanted to pour out all the unexpressed feelings of this lifetime. Who would have thought that when the words reached his lips, they would boil down to just a few short words.

Yet to Yang Liu, these were the sweetest words of love she had ever heard in her life, simple words containing the most sincere affection.

In the chilling, quiet night, the two of them let out soft sighs, each harboring their own deep thoughts.

The flame in Cui Yue's eyes gradually extinguished. Having miraculously survived this lifetime, I will certainly not fail you.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Yang Liu said softly with her head lowered.

"I... I, no, nothing really."

Cui Yue had a bellyful of words stuck in his throat, unable to tell Yang Liu his current predicament.

"Oh, well... never mind then. In the future, perhaps..."

Yang Liu's voice was so soft it was barely audible.

"You should head back quickly, it's cold at night."

Cui Yue slowly turned around, a sharp, unbearable pain gripping his chest and abdomen.

Is this heartache?

Just as he turned around, Yang Liu lunged forward, hugging Cui Yue from behind, her face already streaming with tears.

"Cui Yue, promise me, live a good life."

"Okay..."

Cui Yue felt a bitter taste in his heart, and said in a strained voice.

"Cui Yue, forgive me, forget me. If you hadn't met me, perhaps..."

Yang Liu was sobbing uncontrollably. All of this started because of her, and it should also end because of her.

That's right, better a short pain than a long one. Let us part ways today to spare each other the bitter yearning and bone-deep agony in the days to come.

Cui Yue nodded.

This momentary warmth was enough to withstand half a lifetime of emotional scars.

He only wished time could freeze at this very moment—no afterlife, no lifelong devotion, only this brief embrace before parting.

Both thought they were fulfilling the other, sacrificing themselves for love, unaware that it was a cruel twist of fate and the playful trickery of fortune.

The debt of love has always been the hardest to repay; once tangled, it defies unravelling.

From this farewell on, regardless of whether tomorrow brings cloudy skies, rain, or bright moonlight, the two of them would be strangers, walking separate paths.

Early in the morning, Aunt Li had served breakfast on the table as usual, yet even the steam from the meal could not dissipate the heavy gloom hanging over the Cui household.

Cui Yuanjun sat on the sofa with a dark expression, grey hairs sprouting at his temples seemingly overnight.

Aunt Li sighed repeatedly, looking at Cui Yuanjun with hopeful eyes.

"Old Cui, is there still any possibility regarding Yue'er's situation..."

"Don't ask me about his affairs. The Cui family's face has been completely disgraced."

Cui Yuanjun was still blazing with anger, but seeing Aunt Li secretly wiping away tears, he lowered his voice and said.

"I asked someone to look for Old Feng last night, but he declined, saying it was decided collectively by the committee members at a meeting, and there was nothing he could do."

"What? Does that mean Yue'er's job is really gone?"

Aunt Li grew instantly anxious upon hearing this.

Cui Yuanjun remained silent. He was equally powerless; the fertilizer plant was now entirely under Director Feng's arbitrary rule.

Cui Yue pushed open the door and said softly to Aunt Li.

"It's fine, Mom. I have all my limbs. If I lose this job, I can find another one. At worst, I'll go down to the railway station and carry luggage. Heaven never cuts off all avenues of escape."

Cui Yuanjun was already in a rage, and upon hearing Cui Yue's words, his anger flared even higher as he slammed his palm heavily on the table.

"You still have the nerve to say that! If you weren't slacking off all day, a mess like this would never have happened."

Cui Yue said, "Dad, I told you, I absolutely did not touch the wiring harness switch on that machine..."

"Oh, really? Could it be that the big machine wronged you? Why didn't it wrong anyone else, but had to pick on you?"

"How would I know..." Cui Yue muttered under his breath.

Cui Yuanjun waved his heavy hand, and it looked as though a resounding slap was about to land.

Suddenly, a rapid knocking on the door echoed through the room.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud!"

Each knock was more urgent than the last.

As soon as the door opened, Zhang Hao barged right in, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Cui Yue! Cui Yue! My dear Cui, how can you still have the mood to eat breakfast here!"

Cui Yue had already braced himself to take another beating, but Zhang Hao rushed in unexpectedly, interrupting Cui Yuanjun's reprimand.

Why hadn't he noticed before that this kid had the traits of a lucky star, rescuing him from fire and water every single time?

"What?" Cui Yue was completely bewildered.

"What do you mean 'what'? Hurry back to the plant and face the disciplinary action from the organization!"

Cui Yue deflated like a punctured balloon and retorted irritably, "Why go back? I don't want to be drowned in people's spit. Let them do as they please. Since I'm being kicked out anyway, they can issue their notices while I go my own way. From now on, we owe each other nothing."

Cui Yue casually grabbed a piece of oil-fried flatbread, just about to bring it to his mouth.

"You unlucky wretch, stop putting on airs here! Director Zhang from the workshop just called and told me to get you back immediately—the disciplinary decision has changed!"

"What?"

Cui Yue's hand trembled, and the flatbread fell from his mouth.

Aunt Li hurriedly grabbed Zhang Hao's hand.

"Is what you're saying true? Quick, tell us what the plant's final decision is!"

Zhang Hao scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know the exact details, but judging by Director Zhang's tone, Cui Yue won't be expelled from the plant."

"Really?"

Aunt Li was overjoyed, so excited she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.

Cui Yuanjun's face was filled with astonishment, wondering whether these words were true or false.

"No way? Did you hear wrong?" Cui Yue asked, half-doubting.

"My dear Cui, you're putting on airs way too much. Here is a comrade who made a mistake, not thinking about actively correcting himself and drawing close to the organization, yet still questioning the organization's authority at a time like this. May I ask what material your backside is made of that you can remain so unshakeably calm?"

Zhang Hao was utterly speechless; this rascal could drive people to their graves with anxiety.

"Uncle, Auntie, let's head to the plant first. We'll talk about everything else when we get back!"

Without further ado, he grabbed Cui Yue and bolted toward the plant.

"Hey, wait a minute, I haven't changed my pants yet..."

The clouds of sorrow on Aunt Li's face finally vanished into thin air, and she rubbed her hands together in delight.

"God bless us! God bless us! The ancestors of the Cui family have shown their divine spirit, and Yue'er's job is saved after all! Old Cui, why do you suppose things took a turn like this?"

"Huh? What?"

Cui Yuanjun had not yet recovered his wits, and muttered quietly to himself: Didn't Old Feng say last night there was nothing he could do? Why did he change his mind this morning? Could it be out of regard for Director Chen's face?

"Old woman, hurry, bring some money, I'm going out to buy a few things."

Cui Yuanjun hurriedly slipped his feet into his shoes, too hurried to finish his breakfast.

"Right, right!"

Aunt Li rushed into the inner room, took out several large denomination bills from a cloth pouch, and, hardening her heart, stuffed them all into Cui Yuanjun's pocket, admonishing him.

"Old Cui, make sure you thank him properly this time. Buy something decent."

Cui Yuanjun waved his hand impatiently. Why was this old woman so long-winded?

Old Feng's actions were simply too inscrutable. Just yesterday he was turning away visitors with a closed door, completely unyielding, yet today he quietly settled the matter. This didn't look like his style at all.

When did the old fox learn to become a vegetarian?