Rivals of Rebirth

Chapter 51: Departure

When Zheng Jue left the Han family, he felt somewhat dazed. By the time he regained his senses, he found himself standing in the bustling street, surrounded by a sea of vehicles and a cacophony of voices. Yet, he stood there alone, like an outsider, as if separated from the people around him by an invisible barrier. He couldn't feel their complexities, and they couldn't perceive his mixed emotions.

Zheng Jue was momentarily bewildered. He swayed along the road, gradually blending into the crowd until he finally disappeared among them.

**

Zheng Jue went to the small inn where he had died in his previous life. It was located in the poorest and filthiest corner of the city, separated from the city center by a river, forming two distinct worlds.

Standing at the entrance of the inn, Zheng Jue drew strange gazes from the people around him. He was utterly out of place, completely disconnected from the inhabitants of this place.

The innkeeper approached him with a somewhat fawning smile. "Sir, would you like a room?"

Zheng Jue could still remember the disdainful look the innkeeper had given him in his previous life, as if he wished to kick him out at any moment, fearing he wouldn't be able to pay for the room. But now, the innkeeper was addressing him respectfully.

A bitter smile curled up on Zheng Jue's lips, and his lowered gaze turned icy. This place and its people were like a warning bell ringing in his ears, reminding him of the outcome of his previous life. Did he have to repeat that tragedy?

Zheng Jue slowly raised his head, looking at the innkeeper before softly saying, "No, thank you."

He swiftly turned and left this place, never to return again, he thought to himself.

**

When Zheng Jue left Dongxi Alley, it was already past eight in the evening. The whole city was immersed in a world of lights and revelry. Zheng Jue stood by the riverbank in a daze, taking out a cigarette from his pocket. He didn't particularly like the taste of cigarettes, but at this moment, he felt the need for one.

Zheng Jue took a deep drag, finally steadying his slightly trembling hand. Suddenly, a strange thought crossed his mind. Humans were indeed peculiar creatures. Once their lives improved even a little, they began to desire things beyond their control. Love was such a thing. For him now, it was too costly.

He couldn't afford it, nor could he have it.

After silently finishing the cigarette, Zheng Jue intended to leave, but his phone rang. He answered it, and Susie's voice came through the receiver.

"Zheng Sheng, Han Shao has woken up." Susie's voice trembled slightly.

Upon hearing this news, Zheng Jue's eyes widened, and he tightly clenched the cigarette butt that was still burning in his palm. A sizzling sound emanated from his hand, but he seemed to be impervious to pain. He only felt his long dormant heart suddenly come alive. He's awake? As long as he's fine…

Zheng Jue desperately wanted to go and see him right now. But in the end, he clenched his fists tightly and murmured, "Susie, help me book a ticket to go abroad. I need to leave for a few days."

Upon hearing Zheng Jue's incorrect wording, Susie was momentarily stunned. After a moment of silence, she finally responded in a slightly flustered manner, "Alright, Zheng Sheng. Do you have a specific country in mind?"

She was indeed a dedicated assistant.

Zheng Jue's mind was in disarray, and he couldn't even come up with a place name. He casually replied, "Anywhere will do, as long as it's far away from the city."

Susie fell silent for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and replied, "Understood, Zheng Sheng."

After hanging up the phone, Zheng Jue felt his body tremble. Perhaps his previous injuries hadn't fully healed, or maybe it was the emotional rollercoaster he had experienced today. Zheng Jue leaned against the railing by the river, burying his face deep in his arms. His eyes felt sore, but not a single tear fell. Finally, he threw away the cigarette butt in his hand, leaving a black scar in his palm from the burn.

Zheng Jue lifted his hand and looked at the scar in his palm, a bitter smile forming on his lips. In the end, he left without hesitation.

**

Han Jin was feeling somewhat confused at the moment. He stared at the doctor examining him, his thoughts in disarray. He still remembered the blinding headlights and the warm touch in his arms. And before he fell into a deep sleep, he could recall the scent of a familiar cologne. But now, he found himself lying in this place, gazing at the white ceiling and the cold equipment around him. It finally dawned on him that he hadn't died.

As this realization hit him, Han Jin almost sat up abruptly. Fortunately, the male doctor beside him quickly pressed him down and sternly warned, "Don't move with such severe injuries. It will only worsen your condition."

Han Jin was already weak, so he couldn't manage to bounce back. He could only ask, "I won't move. I just want to know how the person who came with me is doing?"

The doctor furrowed his brow slightly, pondered for a moment, and finally said, "Are you referring to Mr. Zheng? He was discharged from the hospital today."

"What? He was discharged?" Han Jin looked at the doctor in confusion, unable to comprehend his words.

The doctor nodded impatiently. "His secretary just completed the discharge procedures. Mr. Zheng left the hospital this morning."

"He left..." Han Jin repeated in a bewildered tone. Zheng Jue didn't come to see him, nor did he wait for him to recover. He just left...

Han Jin had an instinctive feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't articulate it. He sat on the bed in a daze, allowing the doctor to examine him.

Before long, Han Zizhang entered the room, a faint smile on his face. When he saw Han Jin sitting there, he slightly adjusted his expression and gesture for the doctors and nurses in the room to leave. Then he spoke in a deep voice, "You were too impulsive this time. Thankfully, everything turned out fine. If something had really happened, not to mention yourself, Zheng Sheng, who was with you, would have regretted it for a lifetime!"

Hearing Han Zizhang mention Zheng Jue, Han Jin raised his head slightly, but his eyes were filled with confusion.

"He left..." Han Jin whispered softly. "I haven't even seen him." There was a hint of grievance in his voice.

Han Zizhang had never seen Han Jin like this before, and he was momentarily surprised. However, he quickly regained his composure, remembering what he had done.

"Oh, I heard about that. I heard that Mr. Zheng's company has a project abroad and he wanted to send someone over. Since Mr. Zheng was worried, he went there personally to oversee it," Han Zizhang lied without batting an eye.

Upon hearing this, Han Jin suddenly seemed to come alive. His eyes lit up, and he grabbed his phone from the bedside, eager to dial Zheng Jue's number.

How could he not have thought of this? Zheng Jue always took the company's matters seriously. He must not have had time to discuss it with him and had hurriedly left.

Han Jin cautiously picked up his phone and almost immediately recited Zheng Jue's phone number by heart. Full of hope, he believed that Zheng Jue was a soft-hearted person. After protecting him like this, Zheng Jue wouldn't have the heart to leave him.

As he dialed the number, there was a long silence. Finally, a mechanical female voice on the other end informed him that the number was out of service.

Han Jin froze as if he had turned to stone. The gentle smile on his face froze in a somewhat ridiculous manner. He seemed to not have understood and continued to hold the phone to his ear.

Han Zizhang stood beside him, sighed, and reached out to take the phone from Han Jin's hand. However, he found that Han Jin was gripping it tightly and couldn't take it away.

Han Zizhang had no choice but to say, "Han Jin, before Zheng Sheng left, he asked me to tell you that he had made a mistake before and was now trying to correct it. You should think carefully and not get stuck in your own thoughts."

Zheng Jue never said such words, but in Han Zizhang's eyes, their illicit relationship was the mistake.

Han Jin twisted his neck, turned his head to look at Han Zizhang, and suddenly his expression turned somewhat sinister. His eyes even had a tinge of scarlet, and he pounced on Han Zizhang, shouting, "It must be you! You're the one who made him leave, isn't it? Han Zizhang! How much do you want to take away from me to feel satisfied!"

Han Zizhang was initially shocked, then filled with sadness. However, he didn't move at all. The assistant behind him quickly stepped forward and stopped Han Jin, pinning him down on the bed.

Han Jin was already weak and no match for the assistant. But even without any room to resist, he still stared at Han Zizhang with eyes filled with hatred, as if all the hatred surged forth.

Han Zizhang stood by the bedside, looking at him, and suddenly a touch of weariness appeared in his eyes. When Han Jin's mother betrayed him, how could he, who was once proud and arrogant, tolerate it? He had expelled her from the Han family, and in the end, she died in a state of illness and suffering.

Since then, Han Jin had always hated him, and he had always been aware of it. But he chose to pretend not to know. Han Jin was his only son, and he was the only person he cared about in this world.

If Han Jin had fallen in love with a woman, regardless of her status, he would have accepted it. But when it came to a man, he absolutely couldn't accept it. He couldn't let the Han family's legacy end in this generation, nor could he let Han Jin become a laughingstock in the entire city.

Han Zizhang closed his eyes gently, as if he had aged several years in an instant. He let out a faint sigh and said, "Han Jin, Zheng Sheng is an adult now. I can't force him to do anything. This decision was entirely Zheng Jue's. You should also think about your future. You can't keep drifting along with such indifference. The future of the Han family will be in your hands!"

Han Jin pressed his lips together, his hands trembling uncontrollably, but his gaze at Han Zizhang still carried resentment.

Han Zizhang felt a sense of weariness. He waved his hand at the assistant, and the assistant released his grip on Han Jin.

However, this time Han Jin didn't pounce on him. He simply lay there, staring straight at the ceiling, with a hint of desolation welling up in his eyes.

Although Han Zizhang had spoken a lot of nonsense, there was one thing he said right. Zheng Jue was an adult, a determined one at that. If he didn't want to do something, no one could force him. But now he had chosen to give up on Han Jin, which meant that in Zheng Jue's eyes, Han Jin was not as important as his future.

Han Jin suddenly felt exhausted. What was he doing all this for?

He had been chasing after Zheng Jue all along, and in the end, it had come to this. Was he destined to be treated like this? He used to be the esteemed young master of the Han family, so why did all his pride crumble to dust when facing Zheng Jue? He couldn't even pick up the pieces.

Han Jin suddenly lifted his arm and covered his eyes. The next moment, warm liquid seeped through his sleeves.

Han Jin cried.

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