After Dawn (Bing Kuai'er)

This night's dream was longer than ever.

Many trifles that were thought to have been forgotten in the past flashed one after another, just like lighting a firework stick in the dark night, the fleeting light left a bright mark in my heart.

For example, Li Luo recalled a time when he was in college, he excitedly invited Duan Mingyang to try a newly opened Michelin western restaurant. Really wearing a well-ironed white shirt and tie, standing at the back door of the lecture theater waiting for him to finish class, which made all the girls pay no attention to the lecture.

After class, Li Luo ran over to put his shoulders on his shoulders, and boasted with a smile: "Junior, you look like the Prince Charming in my dream today."

As a result, Duan Mingyang's face was a little dark all night.

From then on, Li Luo knew that Duan Mingyang probably cared about being younger than him.

Another time, a customer who came to the bar drove a Maybach and stopped at the door, Duan Mingyang took a rare look at it when he was leaving get off work, Li Luo secretly remembered it.Later, on Valentine's Day, I bought a car of the same style as a gift for him.But Duan Mingyang refused to ask for it no matter what, he didn't even go down to take a look.

Those were the few times when Li Luo got angry with him and didn't take the initiative to talk to him for a whole day.

The cold war continued until the next day.Just when Li Luo thought that Duan Mingyang didn't care about his feelings at all, Duan Mingyang bought a small cake from outside and came back.

It's his favorite mousse.

"I will fight for what I want." Duan Mingyang frowned slightly at that time, looking as cold as ever, but his voice was soft, "You have given me enough."

"What did I give you?" Li Luo was puzzled.

Duan Mingyang almost rejected all the gifts he gave, all he accepted were worthless gadgets, why so many?

But Duan Mingyang didn't explain, he just raised his hand to wipe off the cream on the corner of his lips, and ate it with his fingers, saying: "A lot."

What exactly does "many" mean?

Li Luo also thought about this question in his dream.

However, before he could figure out why, he woke up from the dream.

Slowly opening his eyes, what he saw was no longer the concrete floor of the garage he saw before he passed out, but the pure white ceiling of the bedroom.

The thick fabric curtains blocked the harsh sunlight outside, leaving only a narrow slit. The sunlight seemed to be packed into a long strip of light sticks and fell on his bedding, which was the only light source in the dim room.

Bewildered, Li Luo stretched out his hand to grab it, only to catch a handful of sunshine, staring blankly at his palm holding the light.

light in the dark...

He seemed to understand what Duan Mingyang meant by "a lot".

"hiss……"

The lingering headache soon struck again, dragging his thoughts back to reality.Li Luo supported the bed and sat up with difficulty.

I took a red-eye flight with my sick body for more than ten hours, got off the plane without jet lag, and was blown in the cold wind for more than an hour, and finally got drenched in water. It is a miracle that I am not lying in the hospital now .

He slowed down for a while and suppressed his headache a little bit. At this moment, he heard faint voices coming from outside the room.

Across a door, only a male voice and a female voice could be heard clearly, saying words such as "video" and "evidence", but the rest could not be heard clearly.

Li Luo threw off the quilt and got down to the ground. Just as he was about to go out, he suddenly found a small piece of medical tape on the back of his hand.It seems that when he was drowsy, a doctor had already come to give him an infusion. No wonder he felt that his fever symptoms were relieved a lot.

Taking a closer look, the clothes on his body have also been changed into pajamas.

There are only two people in the villa besides him, it is impossible for Su Zhi to change his clothes, and it is impossible for Duan Mingyang to ask the doctor to change his clothes.

He couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips, immediately put on his slippers, and walked to the door in two or three steps.People outside may have heard his footsteps, and the conversation stopped instantly.

Li Luo directly turned the doorknob.

The ones standing outside were indeed Duan Mingyang and Su Zhi. Seeing him coming out, their eyes fell on him.

"What are you doing standing outside the room, waiting for me to wake up?"

Li Luo laughed, and after finishing speaking, he suddenly noticed that Duan Mingyang's face was a bit haggard, his eyes were full of bloodshot eyes, as if he hadn't slept all night.

"What happened to you? What happened?"

Duan Mingyang didn't answer.

"Mr. Li, morning." Su Zhi opened his mouth first, greeted him, and then said to Duan Mingyang, "Then I'll go back first, you better prepare your speech, in case someone sees Mr Li coming last night."

"Well, I'll see you off." Duan Mingyang accompanied her downstairs and watched her get into the car and leave.

Li Luo cheekily followed together, shoulder to shoulder with Duan Mingyang, lazily leaning against the door frame to wave goodbye to Su Zhi, like another owner of this house.

As soon as Su Zhi's car disappeared from sight, Duan Mingyang turned around and pushed him into the house, closing the door heavily.

Li Luo was pushed hard by him, and he took two or three steps back before standing still, and coughed several times: "President Duan...cough cough! I'm still sick."

"Mr. Li is the first one who can make such a fuss while sick." Duan Mingyang said coldly, "Do you know that the whole company is looking for you now?"

Li Luo: "I sent a message to Deng Liang, saying that I went back to China to do some business, did he not receive it?"

"You can leave without authorization just by sending a message? Mr. Li, do you know how to write the word responsible?"

"Okay, okay, I was wrong, don't be angry." Li Luo was unbelievably obedient today, and looked at him with a slight smile, as if there were waves flowing in his amber eyes, "I know Mr. Duan is the most responsible, why don't you teach me How to be responsible? I feel like I made a big mistake..."

"You did make a big mistake."

Duan Mingyang interrupted him, took out a rectangular object from his pocket, and threw it over.

Li Luo caught it with both hands and took a closer look. It was a mobile phone, a common style, nothing special about it.

"Whose cell phone?"

"It's not important, just open it and see."

Li Luo gave him a puzzled look, and did as he was told.After turning on the screen, there was no password set on the phone, and when he opened the lock screen, he saw a folder with only a video in it, so he clicked on it.

Five seconds later, his face changed.

"...What do you mean?" The smile on Li Luo's face faded away, and he raised his cold and narrow eyes, "Why are you showing me this?"

The video played the scene of him and Duan Mingyang going to bed for the first time.

The angle of view is overlooking, the camera is probably hidden in the ceiling light, and everything that happens in the small room is clearly recorded.

It was very cold that night, and the old air conditioner in Duan Mingyang's rented house couldn't be turned on anyway, so the two of them were covered under the quilt, melting each other with their body heat, their sweaty bodies entangled with each other, the sound of panting and unbearable words reverberates in the room.In the picture, he hugged Duan Mingyang's neck tightly, soliciting kisses indiscriminately, moaning hoarsely, his legs were actively opened wide, and his feet were exposed outside the quilt, shaking and convulsing, as if he had been hit violently.

What was supposed to be a lingering and sweet memory turned into a heart-wrenching threat the next day.

Li Luo still remembered that after learning that his father had been arrested that day, he immediately received this anonymous video.

Then I received a call from Duan Tianyou himself.

"Ming Yang is already planning to go back with me. He is just playing with you. If you are sensible, don't pester him anymore. Otherwise... I can also reunite you father and son." These are Duan Tianyou's original words.

At first he didn't believe it at all, so he immediately called Duan Mingyang and asked, "Are you going to leave with your father?"

Duan Mingyang said: "Yes."

Li Luo was astonished by his straightforwardness, and gradually felt uneasy in his heart, but he still didn't believe it, and asked repeatedly: "When did it happen? Why didn't you tell me? Don't you hate him? Don't you mean that you hate the world of the rich and powerful? You Do you want your dignity and integrity?"

"I changed my mind."

Duan Mingyang's words made him speechless.

If Duan Mingyang can suddenly change such a strong feeling of hatred, then the slight, even non-existent liking for him can probably be discarded at any time.

But he still didn't give up, and continued to ask: "Last night... when we were doing it, did you secretly take a video of me?"

Duan Mingyang seemed to be hesitant, silent for a few seconds, and finally admitted: "I did, I'm sorry."

Li Luo was instantly struck by lightning.

Don't dare to ask the last sentence.

Are you really just playing with me?

The fact that his father was falsely imprisoned made him extremely angry and at a loss, but at this time, the person he loved the most abandoned him and took refuge in the enemy, and even the most intimate things between them became embarrassing... handle.

At that moment, all the ambiguous expectations in the past disappeared, and the bitterness and anger that had been accumulated for a long time came out.

Every time Duan Mingyang ignored him, and made promises that he had never made before, it became evidence that he believed that the other party was playing with him.

He didn't give Duan Mingyang another chance to defend himself, the more he scolded on the phone, the more despair he felt.

It can be said that among the things Duan Mingyang did to him back then, the one that stabbed him fatally was this video.

Right now, Duan Mingyang violently tore open his scar again, and spread the bloody wound in front of him for him to see.

Even if Li Luo knew that he might have misunderstood some things back then, he also felt a sudden chill in his heart, and the lingering shadow invaded again.

But today is different, if Duan Mingyang loved him and did this kind of thing as a last resort, then he is willing to give Duan Mingyang a chance to explain.

However, Duan Mingyang didn't explain, just asked: "You know this video, don't you?"

Li Luo turned off the video: "I know, how could I not know."

Duan Mingyang: "Do you think I took the picture?"

Li Luo was taken aback for a moment, and faintly sensed something was wrong: "Didn't you admit it yourself?"

Duan Mingyang closed his bloodshot eyes, his chest slowly swelled, and then slowly calmed down, as if exhaling a long breath of stale air with difficulty.

"This video was copied from Duan Xingye's computer when Su Zhi was looking for evidence of Duan Xingye's cheating."

He opened his eyes and said calmly, "She deleted the original document and didn't read the content, because the private detective found the evidence of cheating first, so she put these irrelevant materials aside."

"Later she wanted to get a divorce, so she came to talk to me, and accidentally mentioned these materials. I learned that she had evidence that could reverse the case for your father, so I asked her for it."

"However, Xingye had already become suspicious of her at that time, and the surveillance was very strict, so it was difficult to transfer the information. And once Duan Xingye found out what information she transferred and to whom, it was easy to think of your father's case, and thus It is speculated that I am going to help you, and that way, you will be in danger."

"So Su Zhi and I spent more than a year co-acting in a play. In this way, even if Duan Xingye finds out that I want to reverse the case for your father, he will only feel that I brought him down just to be with Su Zhi, no will involve you."

"We waited for a long time, and finally got the chance. The Duan family has been in a hurry these days, and she has the opportunity to transfer the evidence of your father's case to me in batches. The files that this video is in are the last batch. I just got it tonight."

Duan Mingyang took a step closer, his gloomy eyes fixed on his eyes:

"Before this, I never knew that this video existed."

"...What?" Li Luo thought for a moment that he had heard it wrong. After confirming what he heard, his eyes widened in astonishment, his pupils fluttered, and he repeated again: "What..."

His brain seemed to have been hit by a blunt instrument, buzzing, and it took a few seconds for it to start working, and he quickly deciphered the meaning: "You mean... you didn't shoot this video?"

"I don't have a habit of installing surveillance cameras in my room."

"But you...didn't you admit it back then?"

"I secretly took a video with my mobile phone." Duan Mingyang said, "But it's not this video, and I never showed it to anyone else."

Li Luo was completely stunned, and murmured: "It wasn't you who took the picture... who took the picture... Could it be... your father installed a surveillance camera in your room?"

"My dad can't do it, but it sounds like something Duan Xingye would do. The video is also from his computer."

Duan Mingyang took the phone back from his hand and looked at him calmly.

"If you believe what I say, can you apologize to me for the mistakes you made?"

"I'm sorry." Li Luo didn't hesitate, but he was also at a loss, his mind was in a mess, and he didn't know how to express, "I... I was really dizzy at the time, and I didn't think much about it. I should ask you a few more questions. To put it bluntly, I... didn't mean to say those words to you..."

Now thinking about those ugly words he swears on the phone, they are not like knives piercing Duan Mingyang's heart.

[...The eyes are all red, staring at the ring that he just put on his hand for a long time, and finally took the two together...]

Just recalling the clerk's description, he was almost heartbroken and blamed himself to death.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Li Luo didn't know what to say other than apologizing, his whole heart was throbbing with pain, "What I said on the phone was just angry words, I didn't really feel that way, I For you always..."

"I want to say sorry too."

Duan Mingyang cut him off.

"I didn't give you enough sense of security at that time, and I was not good at speaking, which caused you to be provoked easily, so I am also very responsible for causing misunderstandings. It wasn't until I watched this video last night that I understood why you always You hate me, look down on me, and understand how much pain you have endured, sorry."

These words were clearly sincere and true, but Li Luo always felt that something was wrong.

Duan Mingyang's tone was so calm that it even made him a little scared.

According to common sense, shouldn't this situation be the moment to resolve the misunderstanding and get back together?Why does Duan Mingyang look like a pool of stagnant water that has lost its vitality?

Li Luo comforted: "If you didn't do it, I won't blame you. You don't have to take all the responsibility on yourself, as long as you explain the misunderstanding clearly, we—"

"Let's call it a day."

Duan Mingyang answered the second half of the sentence.

"...What?" Li Luo couldn't believe his ears, "Why?"

"Because it doesn't fit."

"Where does it not fit?"

"It doesn't fit anywhere."

Li Luo was anxious: "What do you mean, tell me clearly, since the misunderstanding has been cleared up, why do you want to separate from me?"

"Mr. Li, we all made the wrong choice."

It is rare for Duan Mingyang's voice to be so soft.

"You shouldn't choose me as the object of pursuit. You are excellent and proud. You have countless admirers. There are too many people who can make you happy and make you happy. It's not for you, and sooner or later you'll get tired of it."

"As for myself, I shouldn't impulsively choose to come back to you and disrupt your already stable life when I know it will bring you danger. Obviously every time you have an accident, I feel scared and want to quit Your life, but I still pretend to be reliable in front of you. In fact, I know that I am not reliable at all. "

"Seeing the video last night made me even more sure of that."

"I keep saying that I want to protect you well, but I don't even know that you have suffered such harm because of me. I am incompetent. You were right that day. Maybe we shouldn't have met from the beginning. I am not suitable for you. , will only bring you harm."

Duan Mingyang said so much in his heart in a rare breath, Li Luo was stunned for a long time before reacting to explain: "No, I didn't get hurt because of that video, it was because I mistakenly thought you used me, your brother and the others did it on purpose. Misunderstanding made—"

"I haven't finished." Duan Mingyang cut off his words, "Mr. Li, do you think we have come to this point just because of a misunderstanding?"

Li Luo hesitated: "Otherwise?"

Duan Mingyang: "After we reunited, we had so many opportunities to explain clearly, but we still separated again. I think it's more of our own reasons."

Li Luo opened his mouth, wanting to refute him, but gradually realized that what Duan Mingyang said seemed to be correct.

The Duan family's discord is like a match, and the distrust between them is the long-lasting fuse.If he believed 100% that Duan Mingyang treated him with affection at that time, and Duan Mingyang was 100% sure that he was sincere, then the flames of misunderstanding would not be extinguished as soon as they were ignited, and they would definitely not be extinguished until today.

In the final analysis, without the major premise of trust, no amount of explanation and confession will be in vain.

Li Luo panicked for no reason, feeling that something important between them was about to be lost, but he couldn't stop it, so he could only try to keep it in vain: "If it's our own fault, why don't we correct it? ?”

Duan Mingyang shook his head slowly.

"Mr. Li, do you still remember the night we met at the bar?" He suddenly asked.

Li Luo didn't know why he suddenly mentioned this: "I remember...what's wrong?"

Duan Mingyang was very close to him, but his eyes seemed far away.

"That night, the person who kicked the can at the back door of the bar was not Luo Peng."

Li Luo was stunned, and after half a second, slowly opened his eyes: "Could it be..."

"It's me, I saw you going out with that person...I'm worried."

Duan Mingyang lowered his eyes, twirling the ring on his finger in a daze.

"I knew from the very beginning that your obedience to me...was a feign. You didn't approach me purposefully and wanted to use me. So I don't want to get too involved with you, and I won't let you into me. house."

"I also know that it is a novelty for a person with your background to suddenly come to chase someone like me."

"I said, I like someone, and I will like it for the rest of my life. But you won't be with me for the rest of my life, so I can't let myself like you."

Duan Mingyang's voice was slightly hoarse, his Adam's apple rolled down, and he returned to his usual flat tone.

"But later, your persistence and enthusiasm exceeded my expectations."

"I couldn't help the temptation, I started to waver, and I started to have hope. After all, you are such an arrogant person, willing to open up your body and mind to me, I think, you should have some affection for me."

"Among so many words of love for me, there must be one or two that are true."

"As long as one sentence is true, I am willing to believe in you and do anything for you."

Li Luo had never heard him say these words before, so he asked blankly: "You went back to Duan's house... Could it be because of me?"

Duan Mingyang did not deny it.

"You said you hated being at home, hated your dad, and wanted to live with me, didn't you?"

His drooping eyelashes fluttered slightly.

"But how can I let you live this kind of life with me."

"How many years will it take to start from scratch before you can live the life of your original young master? Will it be impossible for the rest of your life? I have no idea."

"What's more, you are one year older than me. After you graduate, we will have a year abroad. How can I guarantee that you, who fell in love with me in the previous year, will not fall in love with other better people in the next year, and will not forget immediately. For me, a poor student?"

"I can't think of any other better way to keep you, Li Luo."

"The fastest way is to go back to Duan's house, compete with Duan Xingye for the property, and enter your world."

Duan Mingyang slowly raised his eyes, his eyes were as calm as ever, but his eye sockets were unusually red: "However, just after I made up my mind, your phone call shattered all my fantasies and plans about our future."

Li Luo's heart suddenly blunted: "It's not like that, I—"

"No need to explain." Duan Mingyang said, "I already know that the phone call was caused by a misunderstanding, and I also found out that the medicine you changed to me earlier was a version with a lower dose, not to harm me. You have nothing to do to me. .”

Li Luo clenched his white lips: "I understand. Are you angry that I approached you with some other purpose? So you didn't want to make up with me? I admit that I did make a mistake at the beginning, but then... Until now, I have been sincere to you, give me another chance to prove it, okay?"

Duan Mingyang shook his head lightly: "I'm not angry with you, I just want to say that the reason for our meeting, as well as the differences in our personalities and family backgrounds, made the foundation of trust between us so weak. Even without these misunderstandings, we might Can’t make it to the end.”

"So I thought about it all night last night and finally decided to wear it. No one's fault, it just doesn't fit."

"We are people from different worlds. You can live like a fish in water and be free and easy in it, but I walk on thin ice every day. I am afraid that if I make a wrong step, I will never recover and I will never see you again. If this is the case, why force it."

Duan Mingyang's voice was a little hoarse, he raised his hand and showed him the ring on his hand.

"I bought you a ring, and I thought about being with you for a long time, but that was already five years ago."

"Now, I am afraid that if I continue to be with you, I will hurt you again, and I am also afraid that you will hurt me again."

"You have already told me to break up twice, I don't know if and when the third time will come. I am not invincible, I cannot bear the third time, Li Luo."

As he spoke, he slowly turned the ring on his left middle finger until it was completely removed and placed it in the palm of his hand.

"Every day I'm with you, I'm afraid that the light I hold in my hand today will disappear tomorrow, and I will fall into a deeper darkness and never get up again."

"Missing you has become a habit, doubting you has become a habit, not daring to love you... has also become a habit."

"In that case, why don't you just let it go, let you go, and let me go."

Duan Mingyang spread his five fingers.

"clang!"

The ring fell to the ground with a sound, bounced dully a few times, turned around, and rolled to a corner where the light couldn't reach, was swallowed by the darkness, and disappeared without a trace.

"Just pretend that I have never had light before."