Zhang Liang took out his phone, wanting to call Zhao Panpan. He tried several times, but his fingers were shaking, and he didn’t have the courage to press the call button.
He knew exactly why he couldn’t face her: it was because of what he had done.
Deep down, Zhang Liang realized that if he apologized and asked for her forgiveness, he would carry that guilt for the rest of his life. The thought of living with that moral burden terrified him—but still, he dialed her number.
Every attempt went to a robotic female voice. That’s when he realized—she had blocked him.
In the dark, asking Zhao Panpan to forgive him became his only obsession. Almost recklessly, he rushed to the train station, took a taxi, and went straight to the hotel where she was staying.
The hotel front desk refused to give him any room information, but he already knew which room she was in.
He had spent nearly all his money on the taxi, leaving him with only three hundred yuan. So he sat on a lobby sofa, waiting.
All night, he rehearsed in his mind what he would say when he finally saw her.
The next morning, when Zhao Panpan went downstairs for breakfast, Zhang Liang intercepted her in the hotel lobby.
She thought he was there to pester her about money and prepared to turn him away. Instead, he suddenly dropped to his knees in front of her.
“Panpan, I’m sorry. It was all my fault before. I trusted them too much and hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
He let her trample on his pride, letting his knees hit the floor—his way of showing the deepest sincerity.
“Please, Panpan, forgive me. I truly know I was wrong. I promise I’ll treat you right from now on. I won’t blindly believe what others say anymore. Panpan, please forgive me… let’s live together as a family, the three of us. Can we do that?”
His apology now was far more heartfelt than anything he had said in the hospital.
Seeing that Zhao Panpan seemed moved, Zhang Liang slapped himself twice and said, “Panpan, I was tricked by so-called family before. That’s why I treated you badly. I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll listen to you. Will you forgive me for trusting others and making mistakes?”
“Panpan, remember how happy we were before? You loved me so much, even gave up opportunities in the capital for me. We promised to hold hands and grow old together. Can a little setback make us give up on each other?”
He reached out for her hand, but Zhao Panpan stepped back, keeping her distance.
“The problems between us have never been about anyone else,” she said.
Zhang Liang looked at her, understanding what she meant.
It was strange for Zhao Panpan. Back at the hospital, she had been angry, desperate, and heartbroken. She had hated Zhang Liang fiercely.
But after the divorce ruling, she mostly felt validation for herself—she no longer carried deep pain over him. She had loved fully, with no regrets. And when she realized he didn’t deserve her heart, she let go decisively.
Zhao Panpan first met Zhang Liang when she was ten. He was already a top student at a normal school, while she was just a young girl learning makeup.
One day, she forgot her wallet at the cafeteria, and Zhang Liang paid for her meal. The next day, she returned the money and invited him for a bowl of sour soup noodles with egg and sausage—a simple gesture of thanks. In her ten-year-old mind, it was the best thing she had ever had.
Zhang Liang didn’t make her feel ashamed. He acted like a caring older brother, never pointing out her poverty.
At that age, people naturally wanted to share and to be understood. Zhao Panpan told him everything about her life, receiving his sympathy and encouragement. That’s how their bond grew.
Later, he encouraged her to study further, to pass exams and get into his normal school. She worked harder than ever to not disappoint him, finally making it into the same school.
They became classmates, enjoying the purity of young love. But she was poor, juggling school, makeup classes, and part-time jobs late into the night.
Zhang Liang gave her encouragement and emotional support, making her feel valued. After long days earning 120 yuan from night classes, she would return home exhausted, and Zhang Liang would make her a simple noodle soup with a fried egg and even wash her clothes. She had thanked the heavens countless times for this kind man.
After graduating from makeup school and with more time to take on work, she gained confidence, and their relationship naturally deepened.
Zhang Liang was a year ahead and had to work in a designated school after graduation, so they had to be apart. That year was their sweetest—during holidays, he always found her, even helping her carry her makeup kit while she worked.
They were completely focused on each other. Even their monthly phone bills were high from video calls, but they never stopped smiling.
After graduation, Zhao Panpan returned to his city without hesitation, wanting to be near him. She worked hard, hoping to join the education sector with him, but Zhang Liang told her to wait until he switched schools. That wait cost her the best opportunity, and they married instead.
Later, she focused on buying a house and being a makeup artist, giving up her plans to become a teacher.
Now, they were facing divorce. Zhao Panpan felt her nose sting. They had loved each other and given so much, yet after ten years, it all ended abruptly.
She sighed, “Zhang Liang, now you say you were deceived, and that you won’t listen to them anymore—I believe that.”
Zhang Liang’s eyes lit up with hope, desperate and sincere.
But Zhao Panpan’s next words cut him cold:
“But if you’re apologizing and begging to get back together, it’s not because you love me or truly realize your mistakes. You’re only here because you were exploited and left with nothing, and you want to see if I can still provide something for you. You’re blaming others, saying they deceived you, that they were malicious—but the one who really should reflect is you.”