Billionaire's Long Journey of Chasing His Love
Chapter 188 - 182: A Hundred Million Soars to a Billion (Second Update)

Chapter 188: Chapter 182: A Hundred Million Soars to a Billion (Second Update)

Tong Airui left, and Yi Luowa’s heart felt empty. She felt like a child who had just found her family, only to be separated from them again.

The sky was already showing the faintest light of dawn, but Yi Luowa had no trace of sleepiness. She sat on the bed hugging her knees, her eyes fixed on the phone resting on her lap. She hoped it would ring; she wanted to hear Fourth Brother’s voice.

"Knock, knock..." A soft knock came from the door, startling Yi Luowa.

"Who is it?" Yi Luowa shuffled to the door in her slippers.

"Luowa, it’s me. I knew you wouldn’t be asleep." Tong Yao’s voice came from outside.

Yi Luowa quickly opened the door. "Aunt, why are you up so early?"

"When you’re older, you sleep lighter," Tong Yao said with a smile as she walked in. Seeing that Yi Luowa’s eyes were swollen from crying, she tenderly touched her small face. "Since neither of us can sleep, let’s sit down and chat for a while!"

"Okay." Yi Luowa looked at Tong Yao. She was just like a mother, always offering maternal warmth when she felt most helpless.

Tong Yao held her small hand and led her back onto the bed, tucking her in gently. With affectionate care, she said, "Auntie understands how you’re feeling right now. Back then, when your uncle went off to fight, my heart was always on edge. Only when he returned did I feel any peace. But fortunately, Rui’er is not like your uncle—he doesn’t have to charge forward like that."

"Mm." Yi Luowa pursed her lips and turned her head away, afraid that Tong Yao might see her tears.

Tong Yao pulled her into an embrace and, lifting a hand, wiped the tears off her face. "There’s no one else here. If you want to cry, just cry. Don’t hold it in and hurt yourself. I heard from your uncle that Rui’er told him you smiled as you sent him off. Your uncle even praised you, saying you’re much stronger than I was."

"Waaah..." Yi Luowa broke down and cried into Tong Yao’s arms. "I, I’m not strong... It was all an act... Waaah... I was afraid that I would... affect him."

Yi Luowa cried so hard she could barely catch her breath, and tears glistened in Tong Yao’s eyes as well.

Tong Yao gently stroked her back, speaking softly, "Child, this is just fate. You fell in love with someone from the Audryich family, and this is part of the price you pay. Over time, you’ll get used to it."

Yi Luowa kept sobbing. "Auntie, I understand. I’ll slowly get used to it. But I just can’t stop missing him."

"It’s natural to miss him. Now that Rui’er is gone, I miss him terribly too. Soon, we’ll be heading back to Xiawu. When we’re there, we’ll all stay with you, keep you busy every day. That might help ease the longing a little."

As Tong Yao spoke, her voice faltered. Yi Luowa looked up at her and saw that she was crying too. She quickly sat up and grabbed a tissue to wipe Tong Yao’s tears away. "Auntie, I’m sorry. You must miss Tong Airui even more than I do. I shouldn’t cry in front of you."

"Silly child, if you don’t pour out your grievances to me, who else are you going to turn to? I’m your mom!"

Yi Luowa threw herself into Tong Yao’s arms. "Mom—"

"Oh, oh..." Tong Yao responded repeatedly, and their tears stopped after Yi Luowa called her "mom."

"At last, the dark clouds have cleared!" Long Che, standing outside the door, curled his lips into a smile and turned to head downstairs.

The two women sat on the bed talking until daylight fully broke. When Teng Ai Ni came in, they were still chatting intimately.

Teng Ai Ni pursed her lips, lifted the blanket, and climbed onto the bed. One daughter and one daughter-in-law, each clung to one of Tong Yao’s arms. Sniffling, Teng Ai Ni said, "Mom, I heard from Dad that my brother has gone to Haotian."

Tong Yao turned and bumped her daughter’s head gently. "No crying, you hear me? I just managed to comfort your sister-in-law."

"There are so many jobs in the world. Why does my brother have to love this one so much? It’s not only dangerous but keeps him away from his family all the time. Sister-in-law, when my brother comes back, you should try to convince him to leave Shenying. With his smarts, he could do anything."

Yi Luowa looked at Teng Ai Ni and said, word by word, "This is the path your brother chose himself. As long as it’s his choice, I’ll support him."

Teng Ai Ni nudged Tong Yao with her elbow. "Mom, look at my sister-in-law, the perfect example of a virtuous wife and loving mother."

"Your sister-in-law is far more considerate than you are!" Tong Yao said with a smile. "Let’s get up and have breakfast. Let’s greet the new day with the best of spirits!"

The three of them got out of bed. Teng Ai Ni glanced at Yi Luowa’s swollen eyes and shook her head helplessly. "If you keep looking like this, my Fifth Brother will tease you again. I’ll go get you an ice pack."

Yi Luowa shook her head. "It’s fine. If he teases me, I might even feel a little better."