Jing Xue and Ren Ye sat respectively in front of each other whereas Ren Jia ran around, observing the area with utter shock on her face.
She turned her shiny eyes toward her parents as her voice overflowed with excitement, "Mama, Papa. Can I draw?"
Ren Ye was slightly stunned and turned to look at Jing Xue who grabbed something from her bag, she smiled charmingly and extended a piece of white paper along with a pencil.
Ren Ye could feel the luxurious sense emitted from those items as he felt Jing Xue had spent an enormous amount on purchasing that. Instead of being angry, Ren Ye raised the corner of his lips indifferently and took a sip from the glass of wine.
Even in his tastebuds, Ren Ye could feel the cash overflowing his mouth; tasting the richness of the fermented grape wine.
Jing Xue watched his reaction calmly as she remarked with a smile and poured some for herself, "This is my favorite brand."
"Specially brewed in my father's hometown."
Ren Ye didn't speak as he placed the wine back on the table as he looked at her with a solemn face, Jing Xue's eyes dimmed significantly.
Jing Xue sensed Ren Ye was feeling uneasy due to their financial gap and status as she tried to reassure him, her eyelashes trembled as she bit her lower lip.
"There's no need to apologize," Ren Ye said indifferently, he raised his dull eyes calmly as he continued to speak in a monotone tone, "I know you only want to show me how you have lived all these years."
Jing Xue choked as she mumbled quietly, "If you feel uncomfortable, I'll stop."
Ren Ye casually shook his head as he took a sip of the wine, "There's no need to force yourself because of my discomfort."
"I am not…"
Ren Ye interrupted calmly, "I am happy to see you have lived well while I was away."
"After all, considering all of those things we went through before, you deserve to live a life where you are free to travel and meet whomever you want. I can't stop you from living your life, Xue'er."
Jing Xue pursed her lips into a straight line as she said bitterly, "I don't care about this. I only want to see you well and I haven't been the greatest before."
"You have never placed any faith in me before."
Ren Ye sighed gloomily as he extended his arms helplessly, "Who else can I have faith in? Other than San Er, who else?"
"But you never really trusted me genuinely before," Jing Xue retorted bitterly.
"That's right because you were connected to him," Ren Ye replied frankly, "Had you been someone else, I would have considered you but it had to be him."
"You think I had a choice before?" Jing Xue asked with a completely stiff tone.
Does Ren Ye think an eighteen-year-old girl, without any knowledge of the world beforehand, would have a choice to marry whom she desired? Ren Ye knew it all too well that the marriage between Ren Ye and that man was entirely political.
"It doesn't matter anymore. We have all died and came here," Ren Ye lowered his head and had an idea pop up inside his head, his eyes began to grow cold, "Did he also come to this world as well?"
Jing Xue's eyes shook intensely as she frowned, "Do you think I know?"
"Didn't you say me being here has something to do with you?"
"Yes but I had never once considered him nor has any thought of him cross my mind at that time," Jing Xue lowered her eyes coldly as she spat out, "Do you think I would want him to come here and to have you killed before my eyes again?"
Ren Ye finally shut up and felt a sense of guilt.
He felt he was bringing up old issues from the past to make the both of them enter a cold war. He has never received any answers to why and how he even came to this world.
And since both of them are here together, he felt he should raise the subject up but what he didn't expect was Jing Xue's response; he felt her alienation toward him.
Jing Xue didn't speak with him and turned her face away from him, Ren Ye sighed gloomily.
"Did you come here to eat or to fight with me? Did I do something wrong to make you hate me so much?" Jing Xue suddenly asked after a very long time.
Ren Ye didn't speak as he shook his head, "I need answers, Xue'er."
"I can't answer some of the questions you asked," Jing Xue's eyes gleamed with a desolate light.
Ren Ye nodded his head, "I know."
Ren Ye didn't want to say anything any longer and went to the point, "From today on, I hope we are able to give each other freedom."
Jing Xue raised her eyebrow strangely as she slowly turned her head toward him, "Why are you telling me this?"
"So the both of us have time to process what is going on. Being in this confused state isn't very good for Jia'er's growth," Ren Ye lowered his head with guilt, "And it is entirely my fault."
"I feel if I don't get the answer or learn to cope, I may not be able to be a good father to Jia'er," Ren Ye was honest with Jing Xue.
Jing Xue's face remained calm and steady although her heart was beating intensely, her back was stained with cold sweat as she gripped her chair tightly.
She let out a sigh and thought inside her head with recovering composure, "I seriously thought he was asking me for my permission to be with someone else."
Jing Xue calmly lowered her head, "Alright."
"I will try my best to give you what you want."
If you don't want to be a father to Jia'er, just say it so the both of us can move far away from you and not bother you anymore.
Although she thought of this, Ren Ye was thinking of something else. He wanted to make sure he was able to recover and become strong without endangering his daughter.
Ren Ye knew Jing Xue was powerful and her background is even more impressive but a man shouldn't entirely rely on a woman to live his life forever as enemies can topple them at any time.
Ren Ye's list of enemies may be stacked one day.
"Xue'er, there is something I want to tell you."
Ren Ye's eyes gradually turned solemn as he spoke slowly, "In this world, I am not a good person to be around."
Jing Xue's body shook as she didn't speak, it was as though she was processing this information. Jing Xue didn't say this to him but she knew what he has been up to lately.
Going as far as to kill Sun De.
Although Ren Ye was great at disguising himself as another person, she recognized him at first glance with his footsteps. Those light footsteps that she seemed to have been familiar with in both of her lives.
"I know."
Jing Xue smiled sadly.
It wasn't going to end well but she chose to believe in him.
She has been patient and considerate of him, choosing to give him many chances to reclaim her heart but it was ultimately up to him to acknowledge her devotion to him.
It was already great enough for her to be personally connected to the Night Killer but to the man behind this mask, it was almost impossible.
Ren Ye's eyes begged her to believe him, "Xue'er, I don't want you to be scared of me but I want to keep you safe."
"Wait for me to become strong and protect you."
"There will be no sacrifices, I will devote myself to you and our daughter."
Ren Ye warned her cautiously, "If you ever see me in public, turn a blind eye to me."
"How can I do that to you?" Jing Xue suddenly asked.
"Someone is after me," Ren Ye told her the truth as he waited for her reaction but he didn't get what he had expected.
Jing Xue's eyes curled up as she smiled at him, "Let me protect you this time."
"Don't always think of me," Ren Ye replied resolutely, "Protect Jia'er."
"She is our top priority."
Jing Xue shook her head repeatedly, "What is there to protect her if she is to be bought up in an environment where her father isn't present?"
"Xue'er, you can't rely on your background to protect me," Ren Ye's indifferent eyes gazed at her, "But you can protect her."
Before she could open her mouth to refute him, the waiter entered the tightly-closed door and came in with a stroller of fragrant food. The waiter happily nodded to Jing Xue as she prepared the table for them.
Jing Xue's face remained tight as she watched Ren Ye with a scrutinizing gaze before laying them on the food, losing the taste in her tastebuds.
"Papa, why does it smell so good?"
Ren Jia energetically ran into her Papa's arms as she pointed at the food while lifting her head to look at her Papa, her mouth seems to be drooling as Ren Ye wiped the drool off the corner of her mouth.
"That is because the food is prepared for Ren Jia's stomach," Ren Ye replied calmly to Ren Jia's question as he patted her on the head out of adoration.
Jing Xue watched this interaction between the father and daughter while feeling extremely bitter inside her heart.
She thought of Ren Ye's words carefully and analyzed what went wrong with their relationship in this life. Is it their past or is it because he chooses to live the same way as the past and I am unable to accept it?
Jing Xue felt she was unable to answer this simple question.
Ren Ye casually sliced the piece of steak and offered them to Ren Jia who opened her mouth widely and chewed on the meat repeatedly.
"Papa, water."
Ren Ye raised the glass of water to her mouth and helped her chug the glass water, he also made sure to observe Jing Xue's expression but her expression turned colder and colder.
Ren Ye wanted to say something but Ren Jia immediately rushed to her Mama's side, leaving his.
"Mama, Papa will feed you! Open your mouth! Ah!"
Ren Ye: "…"
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