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Chapter 432 - 257 I Want to Go Home with You

Chapter 432: Chapter 257 I Want to Go Home with You

"I see that mouth of yours is going to stay smart until it’s in the coffin."

Cui Xiaoling said, "If you talk nonsense again, I’ll smash all your cricket jars!"

Upon hearing this, Jin Baogen hurriedly hugged his cricket jars to his chest, as if protecting a treasure, "Don’t mess with them, these are my lifeline."

He said playfully, "I’m just trying to liven up the mood."

Cui Xiaoling gave him a look, "I see you’ll never change."

But her tone softened, reaching for an apple, "I’ll peel an apple for you."

Jin Baogen watched her expertly peel the apple, his eyes softened a lot, "Xiao Ling, you’ve worked hard all these years."

Cui Xiaoling paused for a moment with the apple, didn’t say anything, and continued peeling.

"Xiao Ling," Jin Baogen continued, "I know you’ve always had a grudge in your heart."

Cui Xiaoling handed him the peeled apple, "Eat your apple, stop talking nonsense."

Jin Baogen took the apple, took a bite, "Actually, back then..."

"What back then," Cui Xiaoling interrupted him, "It’s all in the past, why bring it up."

"No, I want to say," Jin Baogen put down the apple, looking earnestly at Cui Xiaoling, "I wronged you back then."

Cui Xiaoling was stunned, it was her first time hearing Jin Baogen admit this after all these years.

"When I was young, I was too reckless, I didn’t cherish what I had, missing out on you is the biggest regret of my life."

Jin Baogen fiddled with the apple, "You..."

"What me?" Cui Xiaoling didn’t dare look at Jin Baogen, "Are you really dying? Bringing me here to confess your sins last minute?"

Jin Baogen smiled faintly, "The moment I lay on the operating table, I truly thought I wouldn’t make it."

He handed the apple back, "But then I thought, I’ve owed you all my life, I can’t just leave like this."

"I know, your throat suffered because of me, otherwise, you wouldn’t have retired so early at the height of your career."

Jin Baogen’s voice deepened with a touch of guilt, "I ruined you."

Cui Xiaoling took the apple but didn’t eat it, holding it silently in her hand, looking at Jin Baogen with a complex gaze.

"Actually, back then I..." Jin Baogen continued, "I shouldn’t have made you stand out beside me, using you as my living banner."

"Stop it!" Cui Xiaoling abruptly interrupted him, her eyes reddening, "It’s all in the past, what’s the point of bringing it up now?"

"Xiao Ling, these years, I know life has not been easy for you." Jin Baogen continued, "Alone, managing such a big theater troupe..."

Cui Xiaoling held back tears, tried to smile lightly,

"What’s so difficult about it? I’m doing fine now, right? I have my own career, beloved apprentices, my life is very fulfilling."

"Yes, you are doing well. But I always felt, you haven’t forgiven me."

Cui Xiaoling turned away, not letting Jin Baogen see her tears.

Unexpectedly, Jin Baogen’s flair was still as good as before, with a quick move, he turned her chin back toward him.

Cui Xiaoling didn’t resist, she looked at Jin Baogen, the man who once made her love so passionately, now aged so much, no longer the dashing young man he once was.

"After all these years, you are still so beautiful." Jin Baogen paused, his voice raspy, "It’s just, I’ve gotten old."

Cui Xiaoling’s tears finally fell, dropping onto the back of Jin Baogen’s hand.

She choked out, "You... you’re not old at all."

"Xiao Ling, come back, spend the last dozen years of life with me."

Jin Baogen said sincerely, "Let us make up for all those missed times from the past."

Cui Xiaoling’s heart trembled fiercely, she hadn’t expected Jin Baogen to say such words.

Come back?

Back to his side?

She hesitated, the deep affection in his eyes made it hard for Cui Xiaoling to remain unmoved.

"At our age, there’s not much left to look forward to."

Jin Baogen smiled helplessly, "You’ve wandered all life long, originally, I wasn’t capable enough to protect you from the storm, now I want to hold an umbrella for you, even if just a ragged one, anything to block even the slightest rain."

Cui Xiaoling’s tears turned to laughter, she playfully scolded, "What are you saying, at your age, still so glib."

Though she said this, a warm current surged in her heart.

This familiar tone, familiar cadence, as if back again to that heart-fluttering afternoon of many years ago.

"What I’m saying is all true," Jin Baogen held her hand, "Come back, stay by my side."

Cui Xiaoling lowered her head, and seeing this, Jin Baogen commanded in an irresistible tone, "You don’t have a choice."

"Can’t you be less authoritarian?" Cui Xiaoling complained, but her tone wasn’t really blaming, instead, it had a tinge of coquettishness, a tinge of long-lost girlish petulance.

Hearing this familiar tone warmed Jin Baogen’s heart, and he couldn’t help but smile.

He knew, Cui Xiaoling’s heart had already been swayed.

"Have you thought it over?"

Cui Xiaoling pursed her lips, a sound seemed to come from her throat.

"What did you say?" Jin Baogen pressed.

Cui Xiaoling raised her head, and like she did in her early twenties, called out again, "Yi."

Hearing this long-lost address, Jin Baogen was very pleased and laughed out loud.

"Are you really that happy?"

Cui Xiaoling was a bit embarrassed, her cheeks tinged with a blush, very much like the naive young girl getting a taste of young love.

"Xiao Ling, do you know? It’s been a long time since I heard you call me that."

Cui Xiaoling shyly lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.