He Thought She’d Never Leave—Until She Did - Chapter 25

Xixi didn’t understand the tangled grievances between adults. Seeing Song Yu’s eyes redden, she shook An He’s hand and pleaded, “Mommy, don’t be mad, okay? Let this uncle play with us.”

“Xixi wants Uncle to play too.”

An He had always doted on her daughter. She rarely refused her requests. “Uncle has work to do, sweetheart. We can’t disturb him.”

“Uncle, are you busy with work?” Xixi tilted her head curiously.

Song Yu crouched down to her level, gently patting her head. “Uncle’s not working. Uncle can play with Xixi, okay?”

“Yay!” Xixi clapped her hands. “Uncle can play with us now! That’s great!”

An He still hadn’t relented. Xixi tugged at her hand and coaxed, “Mommy, please? Just let Uncle play with us.”

She didn’t dislike this man; in fact, she wanted him to stay—maybe he could keep her mommy company.

An He sighed helplessly and nodded after a moment’s thought. “Alright, if Xixi says so.”

“Yay!” Xixi grabbed Song Yu’s hand. “Uncle, let’s go play!”

The pair, one tall and one small, walked ahead, with An He following behind. Her phone rang—it was Tiantian.

“What did you mean by that WeChat message? Song Yu went to see you?”

“Yeah,” An He replied simply.

“Wow, he’s really going all in.” Tiantian laughed. “What about Xixi? Does she want to play with him?”

Xixi was usually wary of strangers; even Tang Wei had taken a long time to win her trust.

“She seems to like him,” An He admitted.

“Seriously?” Tiantian chuckled. “Didn’t you say she doesn’t like strangers?”

“I don’t know what’s different this time.” An He sighed softly. “Xixi seems to really like Song Yu.”

“Maybe it’s fate,” Tiantian teased. “Since Xixi likes him, why not just endure it for her sake? You love her so much, you don’t want her upset, right?”

An He pressed her lips together. “I know. I’m already trying.”

“Honestly, it’s been five years since you last saw him. Maybe he really has changed.” Tiantian lowered her voice, gossip spilling out. “You remember Mrs. Song, right? Your adoptive mother?”

“Yes.”

“She’s living in a nursing home now, right?”

“Mm.”

“That was all Song Yu’s idea. I heard they had a huge fight about you.”

“About me?”

“Yeah. He suspected she was the one who forced you to leave Nancheng. He stormed back to the old house, argued with her, and then sent her to a nursing home. He hasn’t visited her once since.”

But visiting or not visiting didn’t mean much to An He.
“He wouldn’t have done that for me.”

“Why not?” Tiantian pressed. “I think it’s possible.”

An He didn’t agree. “By the way, did you know Zhou Rong’s back?”

“What the—she’s back again?!” Tiantian was shocked. “How’d you find out?”

“She came to see me yesterday.”

“For what?”

“What else? To tell me to leave Nancheng—and Song Yu.”

“Are you seriously considering it?”

“Not for now,” An He said. “I’m not leaving until Xixi’s illness is cured.”

The mention of illness made Tiantian think of something else. “Oh right, one of my investments just came through. I’ll transfer the money to you later.”

“Tiantian, that’s not necessary.”

“An He, if you say that again, I’ll get mad.” Tiantian feigned annoyance. “We’re sisters. Don’t be polite with me.”

“But—”

“No buts. Just take it. Use it for Xixi’s treatment.”

An He truly was short on money. Since Tiantian insisted, she couldn’t refuse anymore. “Thank you, Tiantian.”

“Come on, we’re family. I just want Xixi to get better soon.”

In the distance, Xixi was riding the carousel. She was too young to go alone, so Song Yu stood beside her.
She clung to his hand the whole time, occasionally looking up at him.
Song Yu, unlike his usual cold self, had a warm smile on his face. When their eyes met, his expression softened even more.

Xixi clearly adored him—she even made funny faces at him.
Song Yu chuckled, ruffling her hair and whispering something that made her nod repeatedly.

Then he looked up, meeting An He’s gaze.
Tiantian’s voice came through the phone again. “Hehe, five years can change a lot—even a person. Why not test him a little? Maybe he really is different now.”

“You’ve been raising Xixi alone—it’s not easy. If someone could share the burden, it might help. I just don’t want you to miss your happiness.”

“One more thing—about the money I just sent you, actually it’s—”

“Mommy!” Xixi waved excitedly.

An He looked up, distracted. “Sorry, Tiantian, Xixi was calling me. What were you saying?”

Tiantian hesitated, then said softly, “Nothing. Just… have fun, don’t rush home. And Xixi will be fine.”

“Alright.”

With Xixi acting as peacemaker, it was impossible for An He and Song Yu to argue.
Whenever tension rose, Xixi would chime in—

“Mommy, don’t frown, it’s ugly.”
“Mommy, smile, please? Xixi loves Mommy’s smile.”
“Mommy, don’t be mean to Uncle. Poor Uncle’s hands have needle marks.”
“Mommy, I really like Uncle. Can you like him too?”
“Mommy, did Uncle do something bad? I’ll apologize for him, okay? Can you forgive him?”
“Mommy, can Uncle stay with us? Xixi really likes him.”

An He couldn’t bear to upset her daughter. “Mommy’s not mad, sweetheart.”

Xixi ran to tell Song Yu the good news. “Uncle, Mommy’s not mad at you! She doesn’t hate you!”

Song Yu smiled, pinching her cheek. “Thank you, Xixi.”

“You’re welcome!” she said sweetly.

Under the sunlight, the two smiled at each other—a scene so warm it almost hurt to look at.

But even the warmest moments shattered easily.
As soon as Xixi wasn’t there, An He’s warmth vanished.

“It’s getting late. You should go.” Her tone was distant.

“I promised Xixi I’d go to the hospital with her. Can’t I stay?”

“That’s inconvenient,” she said coolly. “Tang Wei will come with us.”

“You’d rather have him go than me?” Song Yu’s voice trembled with hurt. “Does Xixi know about your decision?”

“Don’t use Xixi as an excuse.” Her tone sharpened. “And don’t cross the line just because she likes you. Song Yu, I’ve said it before—we’re impossible. So stop.”

“Hehe…” He grabbed her hand, kneading it like he used to. “We can make it work, if you just want to.”

“But I don’t want to.” She yanked her hand free. “Song Yu, let’s leave each other with some dignity. Please go.”

“Is it really that hard to forgive me?” His voice broke. She told him to die, and he nearly did. She told him to kneel, and he did it. Why couldn’t she forgive him?

“It’s not hard,” she said flatly. “It’s just unnecessary. We’re strangers now.”

“Who said we’re strangers?” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing his inner wrist. “See this? You left this mark. Remember?”

A tattoo—her bite mark.
She froze. “You’re insane. Why would you tattoo that?”

“Yeah, I’m insane.” His fingers brushed the mark tenderly, as though touching her. “You gave it to me. Of course I’d keep it.”

“You still think this will make me compromise?”

“Wake up, Song Yu,” she said coldly. “I won’t.”

“Is it because of Tang Wei?” he demanded. “You won’t come back because of him?”

“Yes. It’s because of Tang Wei.” She met his eyes unflinchingly. “I like him—no, I love him. Song Yu, I don’t love you. I love Tang Wei. Do you understand?”

She knew exactly how to destroy him—and she did it mercilessly.

“Still not leaving?” she asked.

He staggered back. “Hehe—”

“I’ll take Xixi to see the doctor this afternoon. I hope you won’t show up, Mr. Song.”

He left in silence, defeated.
Before he went, he handed her a box. “This stuffed rabbit—Xixi likes it. Please give it to her and tell her Uncle Song had to leave.”

An He nodded blankly.
His hand lifted, almost touching her face—but he withdrew.
When he turned away, a tear slipped down his cheek.
They say real men don’t cry—but Song Yu had long lost count of how many tears he’d shed for her.
Her heart… was crueler than he ever imagined.

“Enough. Stop drinking.” Zhou Heng sighed. “Didn’t you say you went to the amusement park this morning? Why are you drunk again?”

“She doesn’t want me,” Song Yu muttered, taking another swig. “She told me to get lost.”

“You’re still recovering from a bleeding ulcer! Are you trying to die?”

“Maybe that’s for the best,” Song Yu rasped, red-eyed. “She really doesn’t want me.”

“She stopped wanting you long ago.” Zhou Heng rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you say you’d never give up, no matter what? So what, you’re giving up now?”

Song Yu let out a hollow laugh. “It’s not me giving up—it’s her. She hates me, won’t even let me near. What do I do, Zhou Heng? What the hell do I do?”

“People don’t just change overnight,” Zhou Heng said slowly. “Something must’ve happened. Think—did you do something else to hurt her?”

Song Yu swore silently. He hadn’t. Not when they were together, not even after.
“No. I don’t think so.”

“‘Don’t think’? You’d better be sure. Have Liu Chen look into it. Maybe something really happened. Maybe it wasn’t you—maybe your mom, or Zhou Rong? Just find out.”

Zhou Heng’s words struck him like lightning.
Song Yu called Liu Chen immediately, ordering him to investigate everything about An He from the past few years.

Liu Chen worked fast. Within an hour, he returned with a file. “Sir, something… did happen.”

“What?”

“Miss An… once had a child.”

“What?!” Song Yu shot up. “What did you say?”

Liu Chen handed over the medical record. “She was pregnant a few years ago. Five weeks. Single fetus.”

The words exploded in his mind like thunder.
He hadn’t known—he hadn’t known she was pregnant!

“Find that doctor,” he ordered.

“Already did,” Liu Chen said, playing a recording.

‘It was Mrs. Song who brought her. The patient was too weak for surgery, so Mrs. Song had me prescribe abortion pills. A few weeks later, she brought the girl back—she’d had complications, needed a curettage. Nearly bled out. Poor thing never even cried.’

‘Almost died, really pitiful.’

Song Yu’s knuckles turned white. His jaw clenched. “Prepare the car. I’m going to the nursing home.”

That night, he and his mother had their most violent argument in five years.

Mrs. Song, far from the fragile invalid people believed her to be, stood tall and sharp-tongued, shouting over him.
“Was it that slut An He who told you she was pregnant?”
“That filthy girl! She promised not to tell you!”
“Like mother, like daughter—both trash!”
“I should’ve never brought her home. Should’ve let her die out there!”
“I’m your mother, Song Yu! I’d never hurt you!”

He took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly. “You done?”

It was the first time she’d seen such murderous calm in his eyes. Her voice shook. “What are you going to do?”

“Just answer me. Did you kill my child?”

His voice was too steady—too terrifying.

“That child couldn’t stay,” she said. “It would’ve brought trouble.”

“So you did kill it?”

“I had no choice! I did it for you!”

“Do you know she almost died?”

“Her? Hmph. Why should I care?”

“She called you ‘Mom’ for more than ten years. Don’t you feel even a shred of guilt?”

“I never asked her to.” Mrs. Song suddenly laughed bitterly. “It was your father’s doing! That bastard brought her home because he lusted after his friend’s daughter. He thought I didn’t know—but I knew everything.”

“That wasn’t her fault! Why punish her for what he did?”

“Of course it’s her fault! She looks just like that woman! Every day she reminded me!”

Only then did Song Yu finally understand: An He’s “parents” weren’t her real ones.
She’d been abducted as a child—then rescued by his father, who brought her home.
His mother, forced to accept it, pretended she’d adopted her.
His father died soon after, leaving An He to live under his protection for a few peaceful years.

“Did you ever think I’d find out?” he demanded.

“I didn’t care,” she spat. “As long as that child was gone, nothing else mattered.”

“You opposed me being with her because of my father?”

“Yes.”

“Even after he died?”

“Even then. I hate her. I hate her mother. I’ll never agree—even in death.”

“And if I insisted on marrying her?”

“Then you’d lose everything—your place in the Song family, your inheritance.”

His voice dropped. “You sent Zhou Rong to threaten her, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I told you I’d never marry Zhou Rong.” His hand tightened around her throat. “Don’t you understand?”

She coughed violently. “You’d kill your own mother for that woman?”

“You’ve trampled my bottom line over and over,” he hissed. “You knew I loved her—and you killed our child. You should go to hell and beg that baby for forgiveness.”

“I’m your mother!” she clawed at his hand. “You’d kill me for a woman and a dead child?”

“No,” he said coldly, releasing her. “I won’t kill you. I don’t want to dirty my hands.”

He called out, “Assistant Liu—arrange a flight. Send Madam abroad. She’s never to return. Zhou Rong too.”

Then he stood straight, back like steel. “Cut off all cooperation with the Su Group. Anyone who sides with them will be blacklisted.”

The Su Group—his mother’s family.

Her face drained of color. “Ayü, you can’t! Your uncle and grandfather love you. You can’t destroy them!”

“You destroyed my child,” he said icily. “Why shouldn’t I destroy yours?”

That night, Mrs. Song boarded a plane.
Before takeoff, she attempted suicide—slitting her wrists. She failed.

When the servants reported it, Song Yu said only, “Don’t let her die. Make sure she lives—and leaves.”

Zhou Rong cried hysterically as she was escorted out.
“Where’s Ayü? I want to see him! Let me see him!”
“He wouldn’t be so cruel! He promised he’d protect me forever!”
“Tell him—has he forgotten I saved him? I nearly died for him!”

He hadn’t forgotten. That was why she was still alive.

When Liu Chen returned, his face was grave. “Sir, there’s something you should know.”

Song Yu, cigarette in hand, looked up. “Speak.”

“The one who saved you back then… wasn’t Miss Zhou. It was Miss An.”

The cigarette snapped in two between his fingers.

“What did you say?”

“You were kidnapped. Miss An found you and helped you escape. The candies you remembered—she left them. The letter that gave you hope—it was hers. She even went back a few times to check on you, but never saw you again.”

An He.
It had been her all along.