Crystalline teardrops traced the cheeks, falling upon the cheongsam, blending with the spilled tea.

For some reason, when Lin Hai saw Beauty Tao in tears, his heart quivered violently.

As if the teardrops were a key, when they fell, they unlocked Lin Hai's long-sealed memory chest.

The past surged like a breached valve, bit by bit flooding Lin Hai's brain, appearing vividly before his eyes.

Lin Hai inhaled deeply. The cold and indifferent tone he had used earlier, even laced with sarcasm, was actually an attempt to maintain distance from Mayor Tao.

After all, it had been seven years without seeing each other, and she was a full six years his senior.

Upon reflection, that year he was nineteen and she was twenty-five, their first encounter was by chance in the Military District courtyard...

Looking back over and over again, the youthful naivety and fervor had been deliberately buried deep within the bones. The fondness, which could not even be called romance, had been carved away by the relentless years, leaving little to no trace.

Moreover, he did not want to disturb her life, much less damage her current family.

Presumably, she was now a mother, with a tender child, who would rush into her arms after school each day, endearingly calling out "Mommy," right?

"You're still resentful about what happened back then..." After the first tear fell, Beauty Tao could no longer control the emotions that had been suppressed to the extreme after enduring much hardship. Now that they had burst forth, the tears flowed uncontrollably.

Tao Xia sobbed, her face now more mature and intelligent, eliciting an aching pity from those who saw her.

"What happened back then is in the past, there's nothing to resent anymore."

In his heart, Lin Hai was actually torn apart. It was difficult for him to say harsh words to a woman with whom he had shared emotional experiences.

But in order not to destroy Beauty Tao's happiness, Lin Hai could only grit his teeth.

Even if she misunderstood him, what did it matter?

Even if in her eyes, he had become a petty and mean person, so what!

As long as it did not destroy her family and happiness, cutting off the past would also be a kind act.

"Lin Hai, how can you be like this!" Beauty Tao's eyes carried a look of pain and disbelief.

In her mind, Lin Hai should have been a man who wouldn't even frown facing mountains of blades and seas of flames, a man who considered the impossibilities of the world as nothing, someone whose decisions were resolute, who would bear the shackles for a promise his entire life, who wouldn't mind being misunderstood by the whole world, a responsible and committed heroic man.

But now, looking at Lin Hai in wrinkled and disheveled security guard attire, with that cold face, dispirited hair, a chin full of stubble, and the cold, heartless words, she could not connect the man before her with the Lin Hai she held in her heart.

"These years, you've suffered..." Beauty Tao bit her lip, preferring to believe that Lin Hai's present behavior was to vent his annoyance at her. Recalling his dismissal from the military and the blow of losing close comrades-in-arms, bringing only a handful of surviving brothers, leaving his homeland alone to face unknown trials of life and death on a strange land, he must have gone through immeasurable hardships over the past seven years?

In fact, Lin Hai felt great pain in his heart; he couldn't bear to see his woman in tears, even though Beauty Tao might already be married. Yet in his heart, she was still the woman who once belonged to him.

But for her happiness, he had to keep his distance, even pretending to sever all emotional ties if necessary.

"Nope, I'm actually living very well. You have no idea – over there, I've put the foreigners in their place with my fists, many blonde-haired and blue-eyed beauties have thrown themselves at me, luxury cars, beautiful women, money, mansions, I've had it all. That intoxicating life, tsk, is something most people can't even dream of their whole life."

Lin Hai spoke with a frivolous smile.

Tao Xia looked at his frivolous smile, feeling as if a thorn had cruelly pierced deep into her heart, causing her immeasurable heartache.

"He is still as proud and unyielding as ever, even at this point, still talking tough."

"But, the more he is like this, the more it indicates how hard these past seven years must have been for him, otherwise he wouldn't brag so exaggeratedly."

"Lin Hai, I'm sorry, for letting you suffer so much over the years, and not being by your side, I'm sorry, I really wanted to throw off the constraints of my family elders, and go abroad to find you, but alas, I can't." Beauty Tao's heart was twisting with pain as she thought, but these words, she couldn't speak out loud; she was afraid of hurting Lin Hai's pride and face as a man.

"Heh heh, Mayor Tao, as a guardian of the people, you didn't come to see me just to see if I was living in a miserable state, did you?" Lin Hai said sarcastically, the pain in his heart ruthlessly suppressed for the moment.

Beauty Tao's body trembled violently, as if that one sentence drained the life out of her, her complexion turned ashen, and with disbelief in her eyes, she asked, "Lin Hai, do you really see me as that kind of woman? A woman who, without considering your dignity, brags to hurt you in front of you?"

Lin Hai forced out an expression of disdain, "I'm not familiar with you, how would I know what kind of person you are."

Hearing Lin Hai's words, disbelief and deep pain emerged in Beauty Tao's almond-shaped eyes.

That pitiful yet forcefully strong expression made Lin Hai dare not look any further, only to struggle to turn his head away, avoiding her gaze.

"Lin Hai..."

Watching Lin Hai's merciless departure, tears rolled in Tao Xia's eyes, one by one, silently falling.

Her pale face bit her lips tightly, even when she bit her lip until it bled, she didn't care, only gazing deeply at Lin Hai.

Finally, Beauty Tao took a deep breath, as if she had made a tremendous decision, murmuring to herself, yet as if confiding to Lin Hai, "Seven years, from the very first moment I saw you, for some reason, I felt that there was a man in my life who could never be replaced."

"He is a hero in my eyes, with righteousness, strength, perseverance, highly valuing emotions in his bones, ready to go through fire and water for his loved ones and friends, to face boiling water and flames for beliefs and dignity, willing to give up his own life to protect the people around him."

"After he saved me, I was convinced that he was the man for my lifetime."

"In my eyes, from that day onwards, there was no room for a second person."

"For such a man, I willingly waited for him, bearing the pressure from my elders that was as heavy as a mountain."

"Just to be with him, even if I can't become his wife, as long as I can stay by his side, I would feel no regrets in this life."

"For seven years, from being pursued by countless wealthy suitors to being ignored by all, I have still been waiting, with neither regrets nor complaints."

"Seven years, a single woman, who gave up the most precious and beautiful years of her life, all for waiting for one person."

"Unfortunately, never in my wildest dreams did I expect that the man I was waiting for had already died overseas."

Having said these words, it was as if all the strength had been drained from her body, she collapsed to the ground, her gaze sinking into memories, murmuring to herself, "He will never understand, there is a kind of feeling, like a heart is a bus stop sign, inscribed with waiting…"

"Who would understand that kind of heart-wrenching feeling?"

Taking a deep breath, Beauty Tao closed her eyes in despair, her tone becoming alien and cold. She refused to give a second look, saying, "You can go now, Mr. Lin, it was my mistake for misjudging the person, you are not him."

"A heart like a bus stop sign, inscribed with waiting…"

"Who would understand that kind of heart-wrenching feeling?" Lin Hai murmured to himself, his heart churning like a tumultuous river. Tao Xia's words made him disbelieving; she had been willing to wait under immense pressure for seven years for his sake, and now, she was still single!

"Mayor Tao, you're saying, you're still single?" Lin Hai suddenly turned around, staring intently at that tear-stained beautiful face, looking miserable yet filled with despair and bleakness, urgently asking.

"Could it be, I was wrong?" Lin Hai's heart was instantly torn, like being sliced by knives.

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